Now it can be told. The Southeast Asia Fighting Championship (SAFC) is the country’s biggest Mixed Martial Arts organization in terms of fight frequency.
It’s the only MMA promotion that holds events three days in a week with fights held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at its home at Venus Hotel and Sports Club in Angeles City.
The SAFC is the brainchild master Emmanuel Sabrine, president of the National Muay Thai and Kickboxing Council of the Philippines (NMCKCP) and supported by Kwan Rae Jo, chairman of the Venus Hotel and Sports Club.
“SAFC has become a venue for aspiring MMA stars. We give a chance to young, amateur fighters as well as dormant, veteran fighters to have a regular tournament to continue honing their skills,” said Sabrine.
“We are really thankful to chairman Kwang Rae Jo who is considered by our MMA fighters as godfather,” he added.
Just recently, SAFC held its 60th fight night which was the culmination of months-long elimination of fighters from the amateur ranks.
“We just affirmed that SAFC is home to future MMA stars,” claimed Sabrine.
SAFC 60 a success
It was a hot and dizzyingly humid day and the City of Angeles was anxiously bracing itself from an impending storm in the form of a barrage of ground shaking strikes and an onslaught of bone-cracking submissions.
Working together as a family, the partnership between Kwang and master Sabrine.
The night saw 4 undercards and 5 main event championship bouts.
In the first bout Maico Fernandez scored a submission win over Alejo Corpuz via Guillotine Choke at the 4minute 51second mark of the 1st round.
Veteran internationalist MJ Abrillo won by split decision over an equally tough foe in Dennis Salazar in the second bout.
Benjie Tabaranza won over Michael Escobia by TKO via Punches at the 2minute 56second mark of the 1st round. Genil Francisco eked out a submission win over Joemar Baying via Rear Naked Choke at 3-minute and 23-second mark of the 2nd round.
Adrian Francisco submitted Reynold Vargas via Armbar in the first round. Junie Kimayong won by unanimous decision over Ariel Oliveros.
Roel Rio pounded out a TKO win over Mark Gregory Valerio in the 4th round. Rufino Mante punched his way to a TKO win over Jhunior Diapolet in 53 seconds of the first round. Tom Gregory Iraola won by Submission via Armbar over Benedict Venus right in the first round.
In the last bout, Jonathan Ring finished Jaypee Espinosa with a single headkick to the head to win by TKO in the first round.
The MMA clubs who participated were D Elements MMA, Cerberus, Yaw-Yan Kampilan, Young Blood, Legacy MMA, Elorde MMA to name a few. With Emmanuel Cabrera Jr.