The premier Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) competition in the Philippines held its 12th installment last July 5, 2008 at the newest entertainment and dining destination in Metro Manila, A. Venue Events Mall at Makati Avenue, Makati City.
There were ten featured bouts including three matches with titles on the line. The first main event of the evening is the rematch between Justin Cruz of Team Fokai Guam and Lino Tagacay, a former RP team member in boxing. Lino used to be my instructor and pad man in boxing and I sparred with him in preparation for his fight against Charlie Angel, around two years ago. And the final main event is the super fight match between two reigning champions: Caloy Baduria, the URCC middleweight champion and Eduard Folayang, the URCC welterweight champion.
The jampacked concert hall of A. Venue Events Mall.
Introducing the fighters participating in URCC XII
The two fighters squaring off in the main event of the evening: The Boxer Caloy Baduria and the Bemedalled Wushu fighter Eduard Folayang
Christian Wong checking the gloves of Hybrid Yaw-Yan Fighter Jerry Legaspi. Its a surprise to see Christian Wong as a referee. He’s also a URCC fighter who will be remembered for his gallant fight against a more experienced San Da fighter from China Ao Hai Lin. For me, that fight is the second best display of a magnificent fighting heart. The first is Richard Lasprilla’s futile defense of his title against Wushu’s Kevin Belingon. Both Richard Lasprilla and Christian Wong kept on fighting and never backed down even though they are being battered and pummeled by their opponents. Hope to see both fighters in the URCC ring again.
Jerry Legaspi winning his match. Proud to be Yaw-yan
This for me is the best part of the evening. URCC pays tribute to Master Napoleon Fernandez, founder and originator of Yaw-yan, a Filipino striking martial arts. Master Nap, as he is fondly called, recently had a stroke that paralyzed half of his body. It is very painful for me to see him bound on a wheelchair, I always picture him as a strong martial artist even though he’s around 80 years old.
I used to train in Yaw-yan Ardigma in Makati way back 2006, during one training session, I didn’t know that he is watching me and then he asked me to hit the bags. I was advised by Jet Corpuz, one of the best Yaw-yan youngblood, to show my best in hitting the bags. After about 2 minutes of doing the heavy bags, Master Nap said that I can join the daily training of the young fighters that he is grooming. Though I wasn’t able to join that training, the session starts at 5p.m. while I stay at the office until 6pm, it is still a great honor to receive such invitation from the Master.
Any yaw-yan practitioners out there who’s reading my blog, you may send a message to me on how you can send some help to Master Nap.
Another Yaw-yan practitioner who won his match, Earl “The Beast” Uy.
The bout between the reigning and defending URCC flyweight champion Kevin Belingon of Lakay-Wushu Team and Magellan Perez of Elorde MMA team is one of the most exciting fight of the said event. Belingon retained his title via submission when he applied a kimura on Perez.
The see-saw battle between Lino Tagacay and Justin Cruz brought the crowd to its feet. Their match is the classic striker versus grappler fight. Justin would always shoot in and try to take down Lino. Tagacay’s excellent take down defense helped him to keep fight standing up. The bout lasted until the dying minutes of the 2nd round (there are two-10 minute rounds in URCC matches) and even though both fighters are exhausted, they still manage to exchange some blows and made attemps for a submission maneuver. In the end, Justin Cruz won via knee-bar and is declared the new URCC Bantamweight champion.
Another Hall of Famer was honored in URCC XII, Fil-Am Vince Soberano. He won both the King’s Cup and Queen’s Cup, two of the most prestigious muay thai tournament in Thailand, in 2007. He’s the only Fil-Am to win both competitions within the same year.
The Superfight between two reigning champions: Middlweight Champion Caloy Baduria vs. Welwerweight Champion Eduard Folayang. The match started with Eduard Folayang executing a quick side kick to the head but was evaded by Caloy Baduria. Immediately, Folayang took down Baduria and pinned him on the canvas. Folayang’s excellent ground game prevented Baduria from standing up and also enabled the welwerweight champ to do his ground and pound game. Folayang’s fight strategy of taking the fight to the ground, thereby neutralizing the punching power of Baduria, worked. In a little over than one minute of the first round, the referee stopped the fight, thereby giving the victory to Eduard Folayang an RSC (Referee Stopped Contest) victory and is declared the first URCC Superfight Champion.
Damn those biceps, Folayang is ripped like he’s been carved by a skilled Igorot craftsman
