Sugar Ray Estroso beat Caloy Baduria by unanimous decision to win the Universal Reality Combat Championship Heavyweight crown.
The victory was the culmination of years of hard work and sacrifice according to the 32-year-old Bakong, Limay, Bataan native who added that he was lucky to beat a tough foe like Baduria.
“Masyado magaling si Caloy. Malakas pero ginamit ko lang yung utak ko na hindi siya sabayan. Masaya ako at sobrang proud na nagawa ko yun at natalo ko si Caloy,” said Estroso,
Estroso is a former boxer who turned to MMA because many of his contemporaries, including his coach and friend Badong Domasian, made the switch to the emerging sport.
“Kasi dati akong pro boxer. Tapos yung mga kasamahan ko katulad ni Coach Badong at Caloy Baduria nag-MMA sila at nag-champion kaya na-engganyo ako na lumaban din. Hindi ko akalain na pwede ako champion din,” said Estroso.
Domasian, who runs the Ground and Pound MMA Gym in Antipolo City, said helping Estroso win the URCC title was a bitter sweet experience for him.
“Mixed emotion. Masaya kasi nakagawa ako ng isang fighter na buo ang loob na lumaban, malakas, mabilis, madiskarte sa laban at ngayon world champion. Nakakapanghinayang kasi bilang dating fighter hindi ako nabigyan ng pagkakataon na mailaban ng world title,” said Domasian.
Domasian said MMA is much more challenging than boxing because of the myriad fighting styles and techniques that you need to master and defend against.
“Sobrang hirap kasi hindi lang isang discipline ang pinag aaralan namin. Boxing, Muay Thai, wrestling and Jiu-jitsu. Then conditioning like circuit training saka gising everyday para mag-jogging. Four months ang preparation namin para lang sa laban niya kay Caloy Baduria. Ang nakakataba ng puso kasi hindi nasayang yung paghihirap namin sa training. Naiuwi namin yung world championship belt,” said Domasian.
Estroso said he doesn’t know yet who he will meet in his first title defense. It doesn’t really matter to him though because he will prepare hard regardless who he fights next.
“Hindi ko pa alam ang susunod na kalaban pero URCC ang bahala. Kahit sino pa yun paghuhusayan ko pa lalo. Paghihirapan ko pa at pagbubutihan. Asahan nila sa sunod na laban ko knock out na,” said Estroso.
