Five title fights spice up URCC card

MANILA, Philippines—The “superfight” showdown between Jessie Rafols and Red Romero highlight five title bouts on the fight roster in the Universal Reality Combat Championship this Saturday at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.

Back in the Big City after taking mixed martial arts followers by storm in the provinces, Colt 45-URCC XX also features the clash between Deftac’s Chris Luna and Hybrid Yaw Yan’s Nicholas Mann for the vacant light heavyweight crown.

Also seeing action is Froilan Sarenas, who will stake his middleweight title against Dexter Mistades, following the match between Ryan Palinawan of Hybrid Yaw Yan and Igor Subora for the much-coveted heavyweight diadem.

“It’s going to be a ‘big bang’ before Christmas,” said URCC president and founder Alvin Aguilar, who presided over the well-attended staging of MMA fights recently in Cebu, Baguio, Davao and Bacolod.

“Everybody is waiting for this event to happen, so we’re staging the event back in Manila.”

Rafols is the interim bantamweight champion whose highly touted fight with featherweight Romero, popularly known in MMA circles as “The Filipino Bolo Punch,” is expected to last the distance.

“This fight is not for the faint-hearted since we expect it to be a rugged one,” said Aguilar. “Both are exciting fighters, so a lot of surprises are in store for fans.”

Tickets for the event supported by Frenzy Condoms, Chris Sports, Anzahl Paints, Yoshinoya, VRP Medical Center and World Trade Center with Solar Sports, 99.5 RT, Synermaxx and Pinoytuner as media partners are now available at Ticketworld (891-9999).

Other matches pit Ronddel Orais and Jilmar Tangayan, Pete Brooks and Mac Sabiano, Andrew Benibe and Sulpiano Laurio, Lando Espinosa and Adam Cacay, Jerson Estoro and Will “The Kill” Chope and Honorio Banario and Patrick Macaraig.