MIXED Martial Arts is getting bigger and bolder in the Philippines.
ONE Championship, Asia’s biggest MMA organization, has been regularly holding two events every year at the Mall of Asia Arena, while the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) has already made inroads to this part of Asia with a Fight Night held last year also at the world-class venue.
Filipino fans have responded with enthusiasm, not only to the two major organizations, but to other local MMA events like the URCC and the Pacific Extreme Championship.
Local MMA events have also sprouted to provide continuous stream of talent. Henry Kobayashi is unfolding his biggest Balikatan MMA tournament yet on Jan. 30 in Marikina City, while Emmanuel Sabrine of the Philippine Muay Thai and Kickboxing Council has an ongoing Southeast Asian Fighting Championship in Angeles City, Pampanga.
The combat sport community has every reason to be more excited with the arrival of the World Series of Fighting-Global Championship through the Underground Battle MMA of Ferdie Munsayac, a former Navy chief who relocated back to the country to pursue his passion.
The WSOF is an American MMA promotion based in Las Vegas and founded in 2012 by Ray Sefo, a New Zealand kickboxer and MMA fighter. Sefo is a six-time Muay Thai world champion and eight-time K-1 World Grand Prix finalist.
WSOF events are shown live in the United States by network giant NBC Sports, TNS2 in Canada and TV Esporte in Brazil. It is now slowly making its progress in Asia, beginning with the UGB MMA.
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UGB MMA is one of the more successful local promotions in the country featuring the top amateur fighters. There were struggles and successes along the way and this recent development has made Munsayac more optimistic about the future of MMA in the country.
“Maybe we are doing something good,” Munsayac would always tell this corner. “There will always be ups and down, lovers and haters, but I am here to unite the industry, from the promoters, trainers to the fighters. I will always adhere to my league’s principle: For the fighters, by the fighters.”
Munsayac said things happened so fast. He was reached by WSOF through social media. They held a few discussions and in a week’s time UGB MMA and WSOF were locked in a three-year partnership.
Their joint venture will have an acid test on Jan. 22 when they hold an MMA promotion dubbed Foreign Invasion at the Makati Coliseum featuring the Filipino power-striking Mark Palomar of Hyper MMA and former ONE Championship standout Brad Robinson for the inaugural UGB MMA middleweight title.
A pair of co-main events will spice up the 10-fight card with local bet Rodian Menchavez taking on Pakistani Ahmed Mujtaba for the featherweight belt and foreign fighters Welmil Graves disputing the bantamweight belt with Uloomi Karim.
WSOF-GC president Shawn Wright said this is the first step in reaching the Philippine audience. The perfect word, according to Wright is partnership, not invasion.
“It has never been our intention to come into a new market and try to take away from what other fine organizations are already doing. We want to work with other promotions to help grow their brand with ours and assist in that exposure any way that we can. The Philippine people are some of the greatest fight fans and we are excited to have our brand represented there,” Wright said.