KOREAN Kim Jang-yong claimed the vacant Pacific Xtreme Combat featherweight title by finishing off hometown favorite Mark Striegl with a leg scissor choke in the PXC39 Saturday night at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
Kim silenced the predominantly Filipino crowd by beating Striegl in his own game as he forced the Filipino-American submission expert to surrender in the third of their scheduled five-round duel.
The Korean Top Team captain, known in fight cricles as “The Beast,” came out striking in the decisive round, connecting with a kick to Striegl’s midsection and nearly ending the fight with a textbook arm lock that Striegl barely survived.
Breathing heavily and seemingly worn out, Striegl absorbed a pair of uppercuts and Kim went for the kill as he brought the action to the ground. The Korean went for another kimura and converted it into a choke for the tapout.
“He’s good, but I came out the better fighter,” Kim addressed the crowd through an interpreter.
Kim improved to seven wins, five losses and a draw while the Baguio City-based Striegl, a bright prospect who could move up to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, lost for the first time in 13 fights.
In the co-main event, Louis Smolka submitted Filipino striker Jessie Rafols with a rear naked choke in their 135 lb fight.
Smolka, a top contender in the 125 lb division, temporarily moved up in weight as the Hawaiian grappler waited for a title shot against flyweight champion Ale Cali.
Team Lakay finally scored victories after the fabled Baguio City fight club lost all of its fights in PXC38. Flyweight Roldan Sangcha’an won over Ernesto Montilla Jr. via a rear naked choke while Banario stopped Rolan Romero with an arm bar.
Other winners in the eight-fight card were Swedish Zebastian Kadestam and Filipinos Glen Ranillo, Jinel Lausa and Rolando Dy.
Dy, son of former Filipino boxing champion Rolando Navarette, scored a unanimous decision victory over Kyle Reyes of Guam, Lausa stopped Adam Cacay in the third round, and Ranillo decisioned Isaiah Ordiz.
Kadestam knocked out Ross Ebañez in the first round of their welterweight clash.