URCC: Tynanes stops Folayang; Kelly wins

AMERICAN Lowens Tynanes kept his unbeaten streak going after stopping Eduard Folayang in the first round of their “Superfight” card in the Universal Reality Combat Championship-Colt 45 Saturday night at Mall of Asia Arena.

Tynanes, a former all-American wrestler and US-based King of the Cage champion, bloodied Folayang’s right eyebrow with an elbow, forcing the referee to wave off the Filipino wushu specialist at the 6:22 mark.

Undefeated in 15 amateur MMA fights, Tynanes improved his professional record to 4-0 while sending Folayang, a 2006 Asian Games wushu silver medalist and current URCC lightweight champion, to his third defeat in 15 outings in the cage.

While Folayang’s defeat left the huge Pinoy crowd disgusted, Eric “The Natural” Kelly put up a courageous stand with one eye almost closed to beat Brad Terry with an armbar decision in the third and final round.

“I just kept on fighting despite the blow that I took in my eye,” said the 27-year-old Kelly, a fast-rising submission specialist from Baguio City, who stretched his MMA record to 9-0.

Rodrigo Praxedes also scored a huge victory after snatching the middleweight crown from Froilan Sarenas while Jessie Rafols retained his bantamweight belt by defeating Keiff Mangusan in the event backed by Xplay Online Games, NBA2K13, Anzahl, Solar Sports, Chris Sports and VRP Medical Center.

Other winners were pinweight Lito Adiwang, bantamweight Onyok Transmonte, flyweight Dennis Salazar, Jonathan Sumogat, featherweight Reydon Romero and light heavyweight Caloy Baduria. June Navarro