Two Titles on the Line at PXC's 2014 Year-Ender in the Philippines

Pacific Xtreme Combat (PXC) 46, the promotion's final event in the Philippines for 2014, promises to be one historic night with two title bouts serving as its co-main events. Set to go down this Friday, November 15, at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City, PXC 46 will feature the promotion's Flyweight and Lightweight championships up for grabs in two 5-round affairs.

PXC 46

The PXC Flyweight title will be contested by two Pinoy fighters, with completely different backgrounds. "Iron" Ernesto Montilla, a homegrown talent out of San Pedro, Laguna, battles U.S.-based Pinoy fighter Alvin Cacdac.

Montilla vs. Cacdac

Cacdac (14-10), last saw competition in late 2013 when he won via rear-naked choke, submitting Trevin Jones at PXC 40. Montilla (4-2) on the other hand, last saw action this past May, earning an upset  submission victory over Ale Cale at PXC 43.

With a great deal of momentum coming from both sides, the flyweight battle looks to be a fast paced affair, with both fighters likely looking to add another submission win, and the Flyweight title, to their resume.

Ranillo vs. Kato

For the main event, Glen Ranillo (4-2) will look to put away Japanese competitor Chuji Kato (5-1-1) to secure the Lightweight championship for himself and the home crowd. Ranillo will be looking to take advantage of a rusty Kato, as the former last fought in May, while the former in October of last year. Both are coming of wins, with Ranillo earning a TKO victory in the first round over Reno Remigio at PXC 43, and Kato earning a decision win over Tyrone Jones at PXC 40.

With the stakes high in the weight class considered the most talent laden in all of MMA, the Ynares Arena crowd can expect the lightweight title bout to be a hotly contested affair.



Known to cater to the home crowd of its events, PXC 46 features a Filipino fighter in each fight of the card. Notable names expected to put on a show on November 15th include fan favorite Crisanto Pipitunge, and highly touted Pinay fighter Gina Iniong. Below is the complete card for PXC 46:

PXC 46 Fight Card.

PXC 46 will be held on November 15, 7pm at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City. Tickets are available at the venue or can be purchased beforehand at SM Tickets and Ticketworld outlets.

URCC Set to Make Big Time Return This October

Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC), the Philippines' first and longest running professional mixed martial arts promotion, is set to make its long anticipated return with a huge card scheduled for October 23rd. URCC: Takeover, the promotion's 25th event, will take place at the SM Mall of Asia Arena and will feature some of the best and brightest in the local and international MMA scene.

URCC: Takeover. October 23rd at the SM-MOA Arena.

The upcoming card will be the big event debut of URCC's new cage. Since its inception, the promotion had opted to utilize a ring similar to that of boxing during their contests. With most international MMA promotions using cages however, the URCC finally decided to have a cage designed for use during their own bouts. This was decided not to merely keep up with the trend however, as the URCC is known to willingly let their world-class fighters compete internationally, and having a cage is aimed to make it easier for them to acclimate when crossing over.

The URCC cage is also intended for the promotion's goals of strengthening its own international presence, and was unveiled last July during a relaunch party at Republiq at the Newport Mall in Pasay City. Giving fans a preview of URCC bouts inside the cage, three fights were held during the said event.

For October's card, the new cage will be the battleground for what is currently listed as 10 bouts, headlined by a contest between Deftac Philippines' Red Romero (7-5) and Malaysia's Jian Kay Chee (4-5), who trains out of T-Rex / Cross Muay Thai. The main event will be for the URCC Featherweight Title, which Romero looks to defend for the first time.

Other names expected to see competition on the card include local favorites Alvin Ramirez, Angelito Marungay, and Calor Baduria,and many others. With the aforementioned Pinoy fighters known to always make contests exiting, it is no surprise they are some of the many who have played a hand in the URCC's longevity.

For more information on URCC's upcoming big event and to know where to purchase tickets, make sure to visit their site, URCC-MMA.com, and liking their official Facebook page, Facebook.com/URCCMMA.ph.

"Gravity" Looks to Make History at ONE FC: Rise of the Kingdom

On September 12, 2014, ONE Fighting Championship is set to make its promotional debut in the country of Cambodia with ONE FC: Rise of the Kingdom. To headline the promotion's foray into its third new venue in as many months will be a battle between Pinoy fighter Geje "Gravity" Eustaquio, and Brazilian competitor Adriano "Black Diamond" Moraes. The five-round main event will be for the inaugural ONE FC Flyweight Championship.

Geje "Gravity" Eustaquio

Eustaquio, who currently holds a record of 6-2, earned his way to the title fight by defeating Japanese fighter Kentaro Watanabe via unanimous decision at ONE FC 17. A member of the famed Team Lakay, "Gravity" is looking to add to his team's history of inaugural champions, as teammate Honorio "The Rock" Banario had also won the inaugural ONE FC Featherweight Championship in early 2013.

ONE FC: Rise of the Kingdom

Making Pinoy MMA history will be easier said than done however, as Eustaquio will have to overcome a game Adriano Moraes to become the first ever Flyweight title holder. "Black Diamond", who owns an overall pro-MMA record of 11-1, earned his shot at the title by submitting Japanese fighter Kosuke Suzuki via triangle choke at the same card in Jakarta, Indonesia where Eustaquio earned his shot.

To provide well wishes to “Gravity” as he embarks on the biggest fight of his pro-MMA career, Pinoy fight fans can do so on his official Facebook fan page, as well as Team Lakay’s.

ONE FC: Rise of the Kingdom will be happening this Friday, September 12th, at the Koh Pick Theater in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. For ticketing information or to know where to watch on television and online, visit www.ONEFC.com

Team Lakay Fighters Ready for Combat at PXC 44

While most Pinoy MMA fans will be paying close attention to Roldan Sangcha-an as he makes his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) debut in Auckaland, New Zealand, "The Executioner" will not be the only Pinoy fighter going in for combat over the weekend. Crisanto Pitpitunge (5-3) and Troy Bantiag (5-3), Sangcha-an's teammates from Team Lakay, will have their own bouts at PXC 44 this June 27th across the pond in Guam.


'The Slugger" Starting Road Back to the Title 

Duenas vs. Pipitunge. Photo property of PXC.

Pipitunge, a former Pacific Xtreme Combat bantamweight champion, will be facing Josh Duenas (4-4) of Saipan in a three-round flyweight affair. With his most recent PXC outing resulting in a third-round submission lost at the  hands of Han Bin Park at PXC 41, fans can expect "The Slugger" to be looking to bounce back in dominant fashion and get his name back into title contention.

Duenas has evenly split the wins and losses of his total eight pro fights, with the most recent being a victory by way of submission. Despite the slightly lower win percentage, it must be taken not of that all four of Duenas' victories have come in the form of a stoppage. While a true challenge, Pinoy MMA fans can expect Pipitunge to go into battle in true Team Lakay fashion, backed by months of hardwork and an exceptional unwillingness to yield.


Bantiag Hunting for Big Win

Aguon v. Bantiag. Photo property of PXC.

Like Pipitunge, Bantiag will for the first time be competing outside of the Philippines, taking on Guam’s Kyle Aguon. While "The Hunter" will likely not have the live crowd's support going up against a Guam-based competitor, many can expect Bantiag to be fighting with a great sense of urgency as he looks to snap a two-fight losing skid with a victory in a bout with title implications.


Despite his last fight being a loss, Aguon last competed against current bantamweight champion Michinori Tanaka, and a win against Bantiag will immediately get him back in title contention. With different, yet both high, stakes in the fight for both competitors, many expect the great blend of speed and skill commonly associated with the lighter weight classed to be on full display for this bout.

Pacific X-Treme Combat 44.

Pacific X-treme Combat 44

Pacific Xtreme Combat 44 will be held on June 27 at the UOG Filedhouse in Mangilao, Guam, headlined by a five-round bout between Josh Calvo and Zebaztian Kadestam for the vacant PXC Welterweight Championship.

Another Team Lakay Standout Set to Make Octagon Debut

On June 28th, another exceptional Pinoy fighter will be making his debut in mixed martial art's biggest stage. Roldan Sangcha-an, a mixed martial artist from the famed Team Lakay, will have his first fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, taking on former TUF contestant Richie Vaculik in a three-round featherweight affair. The fight will be part of the preliminary card of UFC Fight Night 43: "Marquardt vs Te Huna", which will be held at the Vector Arena in Auckland New Zealand.

Roldan Sangcha-an

With a record of 4-0 as a pro, all victories of which came by way of stoppage, Sangcha-an was slated to fight for the Pacific Xtreme Combat (PXC) Featherweight title. That fight would eventually fall through, as Sangcha-an's opponent would have to withdraw after suffering an injury in training.

Tale of the Tape. Photo property of the UFC.

True to the adage good things come to those who wait and all things happen for a reason, Sangcha-an is now set to grace the Octagon for the very first time, and the third Team Lakay fighter to do so.

He takes on Richie "Vas" Vaculik (9-2), a former contestant of The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes, the season of the hit series in which Australian fighters were pit against those of England. During the show, Vaculik competed as a lightweight, but has since moved to the flyweight division, dropping his sole UFC bout to Justin Scoggins via TKO.

UFC Fight Night: Te Huna vs. Marquardt

Catch all the action of UFC Fight Night: Te Huna vs. Marquardt on June 28, 6:30pm Manila time, only on Balls Channel.

Despite Defeat, Pinoy Fighter Mark Eddiva Makes Entire Country Proud with UFC Fight of the Night Honors

UFC Fight Night: Maldonado vs. Miocic

On May 31, 2014 (June 1 Manila time), the Ultimate Fighting Championship held two events that provided 22 total mixed martial arts bouts for fans all over the world. As the first event, UFC Fight Night: Munoz vs. Mousasi drew to a close in Berlin, Germany, UFC Fight Night: Maldonado vs. Miocic began. The  latter event, which also served as the finale of the third installment of the Brazil edition of The Ultimate Fighter series, was held in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

 

Souza vs. Ediva fight metrics.

In the event's preliminary card, Pinoy fighter Mark Eddiva squared off against the host country's own Edimilson "Kevin" Souza. The bout began with the two fighters making a flurry of exchanges, with the Brazilian landing the more solid shots. The second round opened up a little differently, as Eddiva began hitting leg kicks to the suddenly tentative Souza. The Team Lakay standout hit "Kevin" with a handful of kicks to the legs and liver area, and at one point caught the Brazilian's own attempt at a kick and countered with a straight right hand.

As the second round was winding down however, Eddiva got caught with a straight right to the cheek. This was immediately followed by an overhand right from Souza, which caught Eddiva on the back of the head as he turned away during the action. He wound up caught against the cage and taking shots from the Brazilian striker, but still refused to go down. A final shot to the body eventually caused Eddiva to temporarily drop his guard, which unfortunately the referee felt was enough to call for the end of the fight.

Despite the loss, the Pinoy fighter's impressive showing in the hard fought battle earned him and his opponent Fight of the Night honors, which is given to the most exciting fight on the card. While the defeat will still be part of Eddiva's record, his performance earned him a signifcant bonus from the UFC, and likely opens up the door for a future fight in the promotion because chances are it will once again be battle that is very exciting to watch.

Nagaowa and Julaton Set the Stage for Filipinas in International WMMA

Come May 2nd, ONE Fighting Championship, the biggest MMA organization in Asia, will hold its first event in the Philippines for 2014. Dubbed ONE FC: Rise of Heroes, the card is set to feature local MMA standouts Eugene Tuquero, Rey Docyogen, and Eduard Folayang. Also, in a true tale of firsts, female mixed martial artists Jujeath Nagaowa and Ana Julaton will be making their pro-MMA debuts.

Jujeath "Bad Girl" Nagaowa

The first Filipina fighter signed by ONE FC, Jujeath Nagaowa will take on Indian kick boxer and three year MMA vet Jeet Toshi. While recognized more as a former World Boxing Council atom weight champion with eight knockouts in 12 career wins, Nagaowa is not completely foreign to other combat sports, with her first regulated fight was a Muay Thai bout. Initially set to make her debut with the promotion in a cancelled bout in December of last year, Nagaowa has long been training in all aspects of MMA, splitting time between gyms in Makati and Baguio. The fighter known as the “Bad Girl” looks to begin her MMA career with a victory in the first fight of the May 2 card, setting the bar for a big night of fights.

Ana "The Hurricane" Julaton

 

Subsequently, major WMMA signing Ana “The Hurricane” Julaton will also make her mixed martial arts and ONE FC debut on May 2^nd. The first Filipina boxer to win the women’s WBO Super Bantamweight and IBA Super Bantamweight World Championships, The Hurricane’s signing with the Singapore-based promotion is the first step in her quest of becoming a successful two-sport athlete. While the event will mark her pro-MMA debut, Julaton is no stranger to martial arts, as she has also earned black belts in Tae Kwon Do and Kenpo Karate. At ONE FC: Rise of Heroes, the San Diego-born Filipina looks forward to making her homecoming a successful one with a victory over Egyptian kickboxing champion Aya Saeid Saber at the MOA arena.

In a country where Manny Pacquiao still reigns supreme, mixed martial arts continues to grow in terms of fans and fighters, with many figuring the “next Paquiao” possibly being a mixed martial artist. Should Nagaowa and Julaton earn victories on May 2^nd, it will definitely be a point to consider that the country’s next possible combat sports icon may also be female.

ONE FC: Rise of Heroes is on May 2, 2014 and will be held at the Mall of Asia arena. For more information on the event, visit ONEFC.com.

ONE FC: Rise of Heroes

*photos from the official Facebook pages of ONE Fighting Championship, Ana "The Hurricane" Julaton, and  Jujeath "Badgirl" Nagaowa.

ONE FC: Rise of Heroes Fight Card

Pinoy Fighters! Here is the fight card for the upcoming ONE FC Rise of Heroes.

We've got a handful of Pinoy Fighters on the card so grab your tickets and let's give our support to our local heroes as they fight for Pinoy Pride.

ONE FC: Rise of Heroes takes place on May 2, 2014 at the MOA Arena in Pasay City. Visit SM Tickets for your tickets and more information.

PACIFIC X-TREME COMBAT (PXC) USHERING A NEW ERA OF PHILIPPINE MMA.

The Pacific Xtreme Combat, a running Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion in the Asia Pacific, whose emergence in the Philippines is nothing short of great. Created by Joey Calvo a Nova Uniao BJJ Blackbelt under Renato “Charuto” Verissimo who has been training BJJ for 15 years, the promotion has surely been making waves. Given the increasing popularity and the growth of the sport of MMA, Pacific Xtreme Combat or the PXC provides a wealth of exposure to serious local fighters who would want to make it big in this young, up and coming sport.

In the early 2000’s MMA blew up with ZUFFA’s purchase of the UFC and the positive changes it brought such as unified rules in MMA and the establishment of weight classes. Soon after the growth of MMA abroad, the Philippines also followed suit with the creation of the Universal Reality Combat Championships or URCC by touted MMA promoter Alvin Aguilar. As the sport grew in the country, various organizations have also entered the country in pursuit of creating more venues for local talent to showcase their skills.

With all these venues and advancements in the sport of MMA in the Philippines, there was still something missing, something that aspiring fighters have been looking for and that is better exposure for their talents, not only in the local front but regionally and internationally as well. And this is where the brilliance of the PXC comes in, for as much as the URCC has sparked the flame of MMA in the Philippines; the PXC has arrived to pour gas on the flames taking it to the next level.

TRACK RECORD

When you look at the history of fighters from both organizations, it is very clear that the PXC has had more fighters that have signed contracts to fight in Pro events in the United States. While both companies claim to be the best breeding grounds for local MMA fighters wanting to go pro in the US and face elite competition, it appears that the PXC is the only company consistently sending out fighters. In fact, the PXC has moved more fighters to the UFC, Bellator Fighting Champions and Strikeforce than any other fight organization in the Pacific Region. Some notable fighters are Rich Clementi (UFC), Harris Sarmiento (Strikeforce), Joe Tiamanglo and most recently Jon Tuck who made an appearance on the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF).

RULES AND REGULATIONS

One very significant factor serious MMA fighters should consider when looking to make it to elite level competition are the rules that the organization they fight for follows. If your sight is set on the UFC, and the other major promotions in the USA, then the PXC is the choice. Not only does the PXC follow the MMA Unified Rules of Conduct, but fights take place in an octagon cage. If it was just Muay Thai or boxing that fighters are looking for, then they will feel more at home with the URCC’s 5 rope square boxing ring and absurd two, 10 minute rounds of fighting.

PUBLICITY AND EXPOSURE

Although both promotions (PXC and URCC) have great websites and a ton of videos online, the PXC is the obvious better choice for fighters to get recognized and noticed in the world of MMA. PXC broadcast live on TV5's AKTV channel which airs their fights nationwide with replays to be able to catch the fights again. I also read in a press release, that the PXC currently are working towards broadcasting fights to several US and European markets. This is great for local fighters to get noticed nationwide in the country as their fights would appear on free TV, but also gain international exposure on top of that.

Of course these are just some major factors that separate both promotions, and while they both provide a channel for fighters to showcase their talents and there may be other factors in place, if I however were laying my money on my own fight career, I would certainly look at making my living with the PXC.

The chart below highlights compatisons between the PXC and URCC.

Click Here to zoom-in

Miller Out, Munoz In at PXC 29

As previously reported here on The Pinoy Fighter post Mayhem Miller Makes his way to Manila, that Mayhem Miller will be gracing PXC 29  to corner one of his fighters in the upcoming event. But as unpredictable as MMA is, it seems that there has been a change and Mayhem Miller will no longer be making it here to the Philippines to appear in the event.

But Pinoy MMA fans rejoice as with Miller out, Mark "The Filipino Wrecking Machine" Munoz steps in to corner his teammate, Raja Shippin as he fights Harris "The Hitman" Sarmiento at PXC 29, Feb 18th at the Ynares Sports Arena, in Pasig.

This is surely a treat for all Pinoy MMA fans as I'm sure most if not all of us know who Mark Munoz is and he is surely going to make PXC 29 an event to remember.

ONE Fighting Championship Sign Unbeaten Filipino Fighters

ONE Fighting Championship Sign Unbeaten Filipino Fighters Kevin Belingon, Roy Docyogen and Honorio Banario.

Check out more details in the BloodyElbow.com.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/11/18/2570529/one-fighting-championship-sign-unbeaten-filipino-fighters-kevin