Fil-Am Striegl halts foe; ‘Hitman’ scores

FILIPINO-AMERICAN Mark “Mugen” Striegl made short work of Guam’s Robert Wustigg in a non-title featherweight clash that electrified the sellout crowd Saturday night in the PXC33 at Ynares Sports Arena.

The Baguio-based Striegl, highly skilled in taekwondo and wrestling, gained control on the ground in a grapple and forced Wustigg to tap out with an arm lock just 1 minute 22 seconds into the fight.

“I know he’s (Wustigg) a tough competitor, that’s why I didn’t take any chances,” said Striegl, who raised his unblemished MMA record to 11-0 in his coming-out party with the PXC.

Lightweight champion Harris “The Hitman” Sarmiento also didn’t let his Filipino MMA fans down, squeezing out a split decision win over Han Seung-hwa of South Korea in a non-title bout.

Sarmiento punished Han with counterpunches and took the upper hand in the third and final round in a ground battle to clinch his 35th victory in 58 fights.

The pride of Ilocos Norte was supposed to defend his belt against Jon Tuck, who withdrew two weeks before the fight due to a training injury.

“I was prepared for five rounds,” said Sarmiento, 28.

American Russel Doane clinched a majority decision victory over Japanese Masato Sannai.

Eugene Toquero floored Leonard Caliwa with a barreling elbow early in the first round; Jerome Wanawan battered Victor Torre in a ground-and-pound finale late in the second round; and Isaiah Ordiz bloodied Swedish Kristopher Persson’s nose and got away with a unanimous victory.

But Troy Bantiag and Fil-Am Richie Redman weren’t as lucky.

Korean fighter Hong Seung-chan knocked out Redman while Guam’s Jon Delos Reyes stopped Bantiag with an armbar.