LOUIE SANGALANG pushed Team Valor colleague Eugene Chung to the forefront in both the physical and boardroom challenges in Episode 7 of The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition—and his other teammates took notice.
Sangalang, a trained mixed martial artist and former champion, baffled the field as he pushed Chung in his stead in the one-on-one grappling match overseen by ONE women’s strawweight world champion Xiong Jing Nan and women’s atomweight contender Ritu “The Indian Tigress” Phogat.
The Filipino candidate deferred to Chung anew in the business task where the candidates were challenged to create an advertorial for wildlife awareness.
Sangalang said he saw the eagerness of his teammate Eugene to join the grappling challenge so he allowed the 23-year-old digital marketer to face off against the bigger, heftier Niraj Puran Rao of Team Conquest—a decision which raised eyebrows from both teams.
“I appreciated that Eugene stepped up, but when I tried to reflect on the logic, (it looked like) a strategic move. I know that Louie’s a smart and strategic competitor,” Team Valor’s Irina Chadsey said.
Sangalang said it was a matter of martial arts honor, citing the opponent’s white belt ranking.
More than his decision to sit out the grappling task, Sangalang’s motives were further questioned when he proposed that Chung take on the role of project manager for the business task to promote awareness for the contributions of Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS).
“You were able to redeem yourself with the physical task and you’re riding that very high morale. It’s time for you to unleash your greatness,” Louie told Eugene.
“I think Louie just wanted to put Eugene in a position where he’s either gonna make it or break it, and I truly believe that Louie thinks Eugene is going to break it,” Team Valor colleague Monica Millington said.
The first season of “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” has 13 episodes and can be seen in the Philippines on Thursdays at 8:50 pm on AXN cable network and on Mondays at 9 p.m. on One Sport.
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