Through martial arts, Emilio Urrutia is spreading peace and unity

Emilio “The Honey Badger” Urrutia is rocking some new gear as he prepares for his upcoming bout against Yoshiki Nakahara at ONE: Clash of Legends this coming Saturday (Feb 16) in Bangkok, Thailand.

In a recent Instagram post, the ONE Championship featherweight is all smiles as he proudly holds up new gloves. Adorned with 2 Ds, his gloves bear the logo of Diesel Diva Tribe, a Singapore-based martial arts lifestyle brand he now represents.

“I’m proud to be part of a worthy cause and be a role model to the rest of the world [so] that we can all come together through the spirit of competition,” he wrote.

The gloves, and partnership, came courtesy of a blossoming friendship Urrutia shares with Beverly Roach, the founder of Diesel Diva Tribe.

A BJJ practitioner herself, Roach’s Diesel Diva brand has its origins in Singapore.

Her friend christened the nickname while watching Roach flip a tire during a training session at The PIT in Singapore. Since then, she has been using her Diesel Diva brand to help athletes from different countries come together and promote the philosophy of spreading peace and tolerance through sports.

This motto of “peace through sports” resonates strongly with Urrutia.

The 32-year-old is thrilled to be an ambassador and member of Diesel Diva Tribe, recalling his own unexpected journey of finding peace and camaraderie since he started training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu years ago.

Moving from Miami, Florida to Singapore, “The Honey Badger” grew to love Asia and its growing appreciation for martial arts. 

As an instructor with Juggernaut Fight Club in Singapore, Urrutia was living his dream of training and competing as a martial artist in Asia.

It was on that gym's mats, over countless training sessions and competitions, where he built deeper connections with others that were different from him.

“Sometimes you don’t realize how much you have in common with someone until you first find common ground through maybe a martial arts class,” he said.

 

“Through martial arts and training together, it is possible for two people who have completely different religious and political beliefs to become best friends.”

Training in a foreign land, Urrutia found a sense of belonging at Juggernaut Fight Club, training alongside many others who shared the same passion for martial arts.   

“Sports, like martial arts, is a universal language that everyone understands,” he continued.

“At the gym, everyone is from a different part of the world, with different beliefs, but it is on the mats at the gym that we find unity and strength, chasing the same goals.”

Urrutia’s formal induction into “The Tribe” was a special moment. In fact, it is a memory that he cherishes deeply from meeting the Diesel Diva herself.

“Last November, I was finally able to meet Bev Roach in person in Manila when I was cornering my teammate, Rahul Raju,” Urrutia recalls.

“She became a big fan of Rahul after his fight with Garry Tonon. We all ended up having dinner together, and I was so happy to officially be a part of the Tribe. I’m very proud to represent a cause that transcends mixed martial arts and carries the message of hope and peace.”

As a BJJ instructor, Urrutia continues to share this message with all of his students at Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket, Thailand, where he is currently based. 

“Every day of my life, I try to spread the message of peace by being kind to everyone. When I coach my students, I encourage them to live as champions on and off the mat,” he explained.

“It is not enough to just be brave at training. We must also be brave in life, do the right thing and spread the word of peace and generosity like I try to in my training and practice.

“Through my work ethic and conduct, I want to gain the respect of my peers and others.”