FC FIGHTERS COMPETE AT URCC CEBU QUALIFIER by James U. Sy, Jr.

16 fighters from Manila, Cebu, Bacolod, and Dumagauete saw action in 8 Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) matches at the Universal Reality Combat Championships (URCC) Cebu Qualifier last September 1, 2007 at the at the Royal Concourse Hall, Cebu City.

Each bout consists of 2 10-minute rounds with a 2 minuntes break in between. In the event of a tie, an additional 1 5-minutes round was to be fought.

Bacolod City was represented by two fighters from Fight Club Combat and Streetfighting Center (FC) of Founder/Chief Instructor Edwin J. Tusil, both of whom are fighting for the first time as professionals.

4 times Bacolod Raw Amateur Warrior's League (BRAWL) champion Eugene Yungque of Fight Club went up against a kickfighter from Yaw Yan Ardigma Martial Arts Federation-Cebu of Master Ekin in bout no. 2. Both fighters had a good exchange in the stand up as well as in the groundwork. Yunque snatched the victory with an armbar. It was a first armbar win for Yunque who usually uses kicks to dominate his opponents. He is well known for his one-roundhouse kick KO during the BRAWL 1. Yunque upped his MMA record to 5-0.

BRAWL 2 champion Elija Sian of Fight Club, in bout no. 5, caught his taller wrestler opponent with a right straight to the head, sending him back to the ropes. Sian battled for position on the ground, sensing that he had hurt his opponent. He took the guard position until he caught his arm extended and quickly applied the arm bar, his trademark finishing move. But arm bar wasn’t tight enough to submit the opponent. The Cebu fighter lifted Sian and slammed him to the canvas twice until he broke loose.

Pro boxer and URCC fighter Dennis Salazar of DEFTAC Manila taping the hands of Elija Sian before his bout during the Universal Reality Combat Championships (URCC) Cebu Qualifier last September 1, 2007 at the Royal Concourse Hall, Cebu City. EDWIN TUSIL/CMAS PHOTO
The Cebu wrestler controlled Sian on the floor until he managed to mount him. The Cebu fighter pounded Sian like hell until a punch connected to Sian 's chin prompting the referee to stop the fight. The Cebu fighter wins by TKO.

Event organizers have told Tusil that his two wards have shown heart and commendable skills that they have qualified in a URCC national tournament in Manila .

2 times LGDC Regional Wushu Sanshou champion (2006-2007), BRAWL 4 champion (2007), and Philippine Olympic Festival (POF) Judo champion Muhamad El Helou of Tribu Hangaway, managed by Founder/Chief Instructor Roy R. Flores Sr., was also scheduled to fight in said event but his scheduled opponent from Cebu backed out at the last minute due to a training injury. El Helou, however, was told that he would fight in a Dumaguete event. Details are yet yet available as of presstime.

Meanwhile, Fight Club Bacolod Raw Amateur Warrior's League (BRAWL) 5 is currently in the works and is expected to explode anytime this last quarter of 2007.