Hey guys, thank you so much for always checking out Gulpe!!! In order to be able to bring you more news and make this thing sustainable, I’m moving everything to http://mma-fc.com . I hope that you check the site out and follow it the way you’ve followed Gulpe.
See you guys there!!!
This is the picture posted by Andrew Benibe on his Facebook page showing where he got cut during training.
I was hanging out with my very good friend Willy Carlos, the URCC’s one and only
Mark Striegl is undefeated in 9 fights with 7 wins by submission.
matchmaker and he mentioned a name that definitely would be an exciting fighter to replace Andrew Benibe with and match-up against Alcer Lozada. With URCC 21 being the promotion’s 10th anniversary event, they couldn’t just throw anyone in. It has to be someone legitimate, and at 9 wins and 0 losses, Mark “Mugen” Striegl of Team Buffet is someone you could definitely consider “legit”. Winning 7 out 9 fights by submission, Striegl is bound to give everyone an exciting fight when he goes against Lozada who is also a fighter who favors the ground. Although Alcer has good kicks, he has recently fallen in love with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (he’s been collecting medals) and it shows in his fights. Even if this fight is on short notice, if you’ve been following the movements of Team Buffet, then you’d know that they fight almost every other week so they’re always in shape.
This is definitely good news for the fight fans. As for Andrew Benibe, get well soon bro and we can’t wait to see you back in the ring!
Mark Striegl is ½ of Team Buffet with the other half being Will “The Kill” Chope who’ll also be on the URCC 21 card facing off against Angelito Manguray. Congratulations guys with the success of GODs FC!
The above article isn’t official yet. For a formal statement, check out http://urccmma.com and further updates and breaking news!
Special thanks to the very hardworking http://mmaorient.com and Andrew Benibe for the pictures!
Thank you for visiting this blog! If you like what you read, why not follow it right? Feel free to leave your questions, comments and suggestions. Violent reactions are welcome. Add me up on http://facebook.com/alfredgealogo and follow me on twitter (@alfred_gealogo).
Unprecedented.
That’s one word to describe the coming ONE ASIA MMA Summit 2012 this coming June. Imagine 150 of the most influential movers and supporters of MMA in Asia getting under one roof and discussing how to bring rapid progress to the sport we love. Owners of different promotions, media bigwigs, heads of elite MMA gyms, popular fighters, government partners and others will be listening to experts and brainstorming on how Asian MMA could move forward. This is something Dana White would never do in the US.
As a die-hard fan and an observer, I can only imagine what kind of fight cards could come out of this summit. Being housed in the US$ 8 Billion Marina Bay Sands resort and casino, these owners are bound to meet other owners and match makers and they’re gonna have fun. After a few drinks, they’ll exchange details. Then they’ll be amiable with fighters criss-crossing their promotion, and then we’ll see crazy fights that we could’ve only dreamed of before. As a fan, I think that’s one of the things that i might get from this summit.
But what about those who are actual players in the MMA scene like the trainers? How do they think this summit would affect them and their fighters? I asked Mark Sangiao, the guy who has fought countless times in the ring and in Wushu competitions and now trains Eduard Folayang, Kevin Belingon, Roy Docyogen and Honorio Banario among others and this is what he had to say.
“ONE FC is so big and I believe that they will remain to be the biggest promotion for a long time. They have given fighters a stage to show what they got and I think some of them would be noticed and will eventually fight in the UFC. I believe that after this summit, our fighters will be given more exposure through more fights and this will only make them better.”
Pete Brooks, the URCC Cruiserweight Champion, shared what he thought should be some of the topics to be brought up in the summit and I totally agree with what he says. He talks about MMA politics, seeing fights the fans want and steroid use in MMA and better compensation for fighters.
“I want to see politics out of Asian MMA. I don’t know the story why some fighters are being blocked from fighting and I understand this is a business and companies need to make money but MMA is about THE FIGHTERS and THE FANS, and there are certain fighters that the FANS want to see…..Also, this should mean better paydays for the fighters. What promoters really need to realize is that most of these up and coming fighters are not independently wealthy, especially in the Philippines. There are some who beg for fights but are held back because of the lack of opportunities. If a fighter wants to, he should be able to fight 4-5 times a year. Contract stipulations should not stand in the way of that…..If fighters are looking to make a name on the international scene, they should show that they are clean and are not cheating to make themselves better. I want to see steroid testing in Asian MMA. Other than that, I’m really excited about where ONE FC is going and can’t wait to see more great shows!”
Another URCC Champion shared his thoughts, the King of the URCC Welterweights Eduard Folayang couldn’t be more pleased that the summit is happening. He very much looks forward to seeing more of his URCC counterparts fighting internationally and showcasing their skills.
“I think it’s good for everyone involed in MMA in Asia. The sport will be promoted more and everybody could share in the different improvements in the sport. More talent will be discovered and URCC fighters will be will be able to showcase their talent in the world because of the exposure they could get through media coverage.”
Franz Von Muhfeld, a part-owner of the URCC and events and production guru talked about how the summit will benefit the fighters and truly make them better in the long run.
“I think that the summit is a positive move in the region. It will benefit the fighters by opening up new audiences and new markets. I also believe that there will be a “technology exchange” of sorts in the offing, because the fighters will be exposed to different styles and skill levels around Asia…exposure will bring excellence, not to metion the excitemenet and awareness the move will deliver to the fans”
Lastly, I was able to get a hold of Bubbles Aguilar, the First Lady of Filipino MMA and part-owner of the URCC, Asia’s longest running promotion at 10 years now. Read on about her thoughts on the positive things this summit would bring for Asian MMA and the URCC’s roster of fighters.
“This will definitely put Asian MMA on the map as a stronghold of MMA worldwide. This is the first of its kind where top Asian MMA promoters, MMA teams and gyms, media outfits and potential sponsors will get together with one plan in mind, and that is to develop Asian MMA further and take it to greater heights. This will definitely be a good way for the URCC and its fighters to be known in the Asian MMA circuit and a way for us to expand our brand through continued partnership with other MMA promotions in Asia and we are excited to be part of this very historic event”.
Whatever the outcome is, I hope that ONE Asia MMA Summit 2012 does what I think it is destined to do. That one day, Asian fighters, promotions, and gyms will be treated as at par with their western counterparts. That Asia would be considered where the best fighters are. Where having a Ferrari (when the time comes that fighters are paid Anderson Silva money) after a few fights is a bonus but what it really is all about are the fights, the fans and the camaraderie that goes along with all of it.
Special thanks to Bubbles Bermudez-Aguilar, Franz Von Muhfeld, Mark Sangiao, Eduard Folayang and Pete Brooks for their time and thoughts !
Thank you for visiting this blog! Feel free to leave your questions, comments and suggestions. Violent reactions are welcome. Add me up on http://facebook.com/alfredgealogo and follow me on twitter (@alfred_gealogo).
Don’t forget to visit www.onefc.com and http://urccmma.com, and for breaking news regarding MMA in the Philippines and Asia. Also, visit http://thefightnation.com and check out other news articles and opinions regarding everything MMA in Asia!
Kevin Belingon (in red shorts) delivers a head kick towards Isaac Tuling's skull where "The Silencer " stopped Tuling during URCC 19 Collision.
ONE FC 3 – War of the Lions was a momentous occasion for a lot of people. It was an event that will be remembered fondly by those who were able to witness it live, those who saw it on Youtube, and by the promotion, the trainers and fighters. Well, at least those who won. Losing is something that doesn’t sit well with highly-competitive fighters and it’s just you handle that energy and urge to get back and redeem yourself inside the ring. Some fighters actually regress after one-sided losses and begin the end of their careers.
Don’t count Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon as one of them.
“The Silencer” has always been known for his aggressive stand-up. If you make a mistake in front of Kevin, he will capitalize on it and surely the next time you fight inside a ring or anywhere, you will never make the same mistake again. You give him a window of opportunity, he will knock you out. His aggressive style is what draws people to watch him but there are times when you must temper aggression for a more patient approach, especially when facing a specialist like Imanari. I literally cringed when I saw Kevin throw a leg kick at a downed Imanari. I thought it was like offering Rousimar Palhares your leg, or offering a bone to a dog.
Well, you’ve all seen what happened. A loss is a loss. What’s killing me though is that in one of this year’s biggest event, my countryman and one of my favourite fighters wasn’t able to showcase what he got. Even if he lost the fight eventually to a sub, I would’ve loved it if the world saw how Kevin Belingon fights. Go search his fights in Youtube and enjoy. If you love action, then you’ll surely love his fights.
Anyways, enough of what I have to say. Let’s hear it straight from Kevin Belingon himself.
Q: Hi Kevin! What a tough loss against Imanari. Would you say you made a mistake that eventually gave him the submission win?
Kevin: Definitely. I made a mistake by coming in like that. I made that mistake and he caught my leg. Kudos to him, he saw an opening and made the most out of it. He’s a great fighter especially with subs and I tapped. No excuses. I’m now determined to just bounce back and win my next fight.
Q: Were you able to train against subs, especially leg subs knowing that you’re going against Imanari, who is a well-known leg-lock specialist? Even your one-time opponent Justin Cruz has a very painful submission defeat to Imanari.
Kevin: Yes. I really trained hard for this fight. Coming in, I knew that he was very dangerous on the ground I just really wanted to slug it out from the stand-up. Unfortunately he caught my leg in a very tight hold and I wasn’t able to pull out an answer for his attack.
Q: What are your immediate plans for the future? Are you going to fight in the URCC first before going back to ONE FC?
Kevin: All I’m set on doing is to train harder and to improve my ground skills, especially my Jiu-Jitsu. I haven’t been offered anything yet so I don’t know if my next fight will be in the URCC ring or the ONE FC cage.
Q: Kevin, thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. Any words for your fans in the URCC and ONE FC?
Kevin: Thank you so much for all the support that you are giving me and God Bless! You will see a better fight from me next time.
Special thanks to Mr. Hochi Abaya for lending me the picture of Kevin from URCC 19!!!
Thank you for visiting this blog! Follow this blog for more MMA news in the Philippines and Asia! Feel free to leave your questions, comments and suggestions. Violent reactions are welcome. Add me up on http://facebook.com/alfredgealogo and follow me on twitter (@alfred_gealogo).
Don’t forget to visit www.onefc.com and http://urccmma.com, and for breaking news regarding MMA in the Philippines and Asia. Also, visit http://thefightnation.com and check out other news articles and opinions regarding everything MMA in Asia!
Eduard Folayang is known for bringing non-stop action and endless cardio, and for being a man of faith.
When the last second of the 3rd round was exhausted and the fight was over, I was pretty sure Eduard Folayang thought he won the fight. I had him winning by a hair and after the decision was given announcing Ole Laursen the winner by split decision, it sounded like the sold out crowd who came out to watch ONE FC 3- War of the Lions in Singapore also shared my thoughts.
It’s very unusual for me to see a fighter, one who is acclaimed by the crowd as a winner and not say a single word or phrase alluding to any thought that he thinks he won the fight. No statements of bravado saying the judges got it wrong or any of the usual bullsh*t you’d get from popular fighters like Rampage Jackson or BJ Penn.
I guess that just how Eduard “Landslide” Folayang prefers to operate, with humility and a quiet confidence that is both striking and refreshing at the same time.
I got to have a few words with the ONE FC Lightweight division star and current URCC Welterweight Champion and asked him a couple of questions. Read on.
Q: Hi Eduard! Congratulations on a great fight against Ole, man. Did you ever feel like you were having a hard time in the ring with him?
Eduard: Yeah, Ole’s a good fighter too and I had a hard time anticipating what his game plan was at first. He really prepared hard for our fight and I’m very happy it was a great fight that the people enjoyed.
Q: Do you think you won the fight? A lot of the people including those watching live thought you won it.
Eduard: I really feel that I gave my best and left everything in the ring. The decision is in the hands of the judges.
Q: Do you want Victor and ONE FC to give you an immediate rematch against Ole? And if not, who do you want to fight next?
Eduard: You know, we really had a great fight and I really think Ole deserves to enjoy his victory. As for who I want to fight next, that would be anyone who ONE FC decides to match up with me.
Q: Are you planning to get right back in the ring or are you taking some time off after this one?
Eduard: I’ll rest just until after Holy Week. After that, I’ll be back in the gym to train and will be looking for my next fight.
Q: Are you planning to take your BJJ training a step further? A lot of times during the fight, you had many opportunities to finish the fight on the ground.
Eduard: Of course. I really want to and I plan to put a lot of effort into improving that part of my game and become a more well-rounded fighter.
Q: What would you like to tell your fans in ONE FC and the URCC?
Eduard: Thank you much for all the support and prayers that you’ve been giving me. I may have lost but it’s just one way to make me to grow and improve and be a better fighter. God Bless you all!
Thank you for visiting and following this blog! Feel free to leave your questions, comments and suggestions. Violent reactions are welcome. Add me up on http://facebook.com/alfredgealogo and follow me on twitter (@alfred_gealogo).
Don’t forget to visit www.onefc.com and http://urccmma.com, and for breaking news regarding MMA in the Philippines and Asia. Also, visit http://thefightnation.com and check out other news articles and opinions regarding everything MMA in Asia!
I don’t think everyone has gotten over the awesome event that ONE FC 3 – War of the Lions was. People are still buzzing over the dominance displayed by Zorobabel Moreira, the epic bout between Ole Laursen and Eduard Folayang, and how about Jeet Toshi vs. Nicole Chua?
Of course, some people gained a lot and some fighters lost some during that epic night. Let’s go through some of the fights and personalities that would be talked about for quite some time. At least up until the next ONE FC event.
Biggest Winner: Zorobabel “Zorro” Moreira
Remember how Enomoto reminded “Zorro” that their match was a MMA bout and a grappling contest? Zorro proved that he isn’t a one-trick pony by using his reach and voluminous kicks to control the fight. Felipe Enomoto was surely no slouch as he brought the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Champion to the third round. He showed he can hold his own against the Evolve MMA fighter and looked the better striker technically but a kick from Moreira wobbled Enomoto and that setup the armbar that gave “Zorro” the win. There are a lot of people saying that Evolve MMA’s Zorobabel could very well be the 1st Lightweight Champion of ONE FC.
A fight with Ole Laursen would be interesting and logical.
Disappointed: Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon
Coming into his fight against Masakazu Imanari, Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon enjoyed an undefeated record and was riding a 9-fight winning streak. An early mistake made by the Japanese actually setup the submission. Imanari threw a wayward high kick that caused him to slip and fall to the mat. Belingon immediately thew an ill-advised kick to his downed opponent and that’s when Imanari grabbed a hold of his leg and never let go. It seemed as if Belingon didn’t know how to properly defend the myriad of leg submissions the “Ashikan judan” was attempting and it was only a matter of seconds before he had to tap out to a reverse heel hook. There are just nights that even the best fighters get caught and Kevin got caught by one of the best. I’m betting that “The Silencer” will be upping his training in submission defense.
A match with fellow Filipino Jessie Rafols would be an exciting fight.
War of the Night: Ole “Iron Fist” Laursen vs. Eduard “Landslide” Folayang
In what was a very close and entertaining fight, Ole Laursen took a split decision over fellow Filipino Eduard Folayang. It was a back and forth barn-burner which showcased not only Ole’s strong striking but also his grappling skills and Eduard’s energizer like cardio and never-say-die attitude. The first round was Ole’s, the second round was a swing round and the third was clearly Folayang’s. . It’s one of those fights that no one involved really comes out a loser. A five-round rematch between these two would be a Godsend gift.
How about Ole Laursen fights Zorobabel and Eduard Folayang fights Enomoto, and then a rematch between Ole and Eduard?
Submission of the Night: Masakazu “Ashikan Judan” Imanari
Don’t voluntarily give Imanari your limbs. Any fighter who goes against the Japanese submission specialist should always remember that. Kevin Belingon forgot for a second and paid the price as Imanari caught his opponents leg from a downed position threw a variety of leg-locks before locking in a reverse heel hook that gave him the win.
A match with either Gustavo Falciroli or Irshaad Sayed would be a great fight.
Heavy Hands of the Night: Eddie “The Magician” Ng
The time it took for him to walk from the dressing room up to the cage was longer than his actual fight. “The Magician” wasted no time in getting down to business and took out Jian Kai Chee in 52 seconds. A heavy right hand started it, followed up by several knees that brought down Chee to the ground. A few seconds of ground and pound and the referee rescued the Malaysian from further punishment.
Give him Vuyisile Colossa. If he passes that test, Laursen, Folayang, Enomoto, Farciroli and Moreira will have a new playmate.
Thank you for visiting this blog! Feel free to leave your questions, comments and suggestions. Violent reactions are welcome. Add me up on http://facebook.com/alfredgealogo and follow me on twitter (@alfred_gealogo).
Don’t forget to visit www.onefc.com and http://urccmma.com for breaking news regarding MMA in the Philippines and Asia.
Angelito Manguray sends a right straight crashing through Honorio's jaw in their URCC 19: Collision fight.
In what is turning out to be one of the most awaited matches on the URCC 21: Warpath fight card, Will “The Kill” Chope and Angelito “The Saint” Manguray have spat out words that have brought it to the forefront of the mma masses that will flock to the SMX Center on April 28th. Manguray came out with a video saying that Chope has been disrespectful and will “let his fists do the talking” come fight time. Reports have come out that Chope may have called his older adversary an “old carabao” that got Manguray’s camp incensed.
Let’s allow the fighters to clear things up shall we?
I have always found Angelito Manguray as a level-headed man with wisodom and perspective on his side. Seeing him on a leaked video stating that he feels disrespected and will just give his answer in the ring was surreal. As much as it was refreshing to see someone actually do that, it was very suprising to see Angelito being the one to be on one especially since his moniker “The Saint” is very much deserved.
“I really didn’t feel disrespected” said Manguray when we were able to chat for a while. “Some of his friends called me an old carabao in FB. Well, you know the saying, everything becomes better with age. So I wasn’t offended. But one thing’s for sure, he called me out.” As for Will Chope, he doesn’t think anything he did was remotely disrespectful. He’s a guy who just wants to fight. And he doesn’t want easy fights, he wants to be in wars and I think he got what he prayed for in “The Saint”. “Angelito almost took Honorio 20 minutes inside the ring. He’s tough. I know I’ve got to be strong on my toes and quick with my hands. My ground base is solid. Conditioning will surely be the key in this fight. When asked about the video where Manguray appeared and said he was disrespectful, Chope had this to say, “The video was good, surely created some good hype for our fight. He seems to be a quiet guy. The reason I want to fight Angelito is because of his match from Martial Combat. If I’m disrespectful if I call someone out, then so be it. I just want to get into tough fights and keep improving.”
“When he called me out, I really took it as a compliment. Will Chope didn’t disrespect me. He was asking for tough opponents and specifically mentioned my name. It felt good more than anything, to be recognized as one of the toughest in the URCC.” Hearing these words, you might get to thinking that maybe their fight won’t be an explosive one after all. There’s too much respect and calm from both fighters, especially from Manguray. But then, he had this to say in closing, “As a professional MMA fighter, things shouldn’t be hyped up to make me throw punches. I just switch on my fighter mode and start hating my opponent when the all the smoke clears and we’re in the ring. After the fight, I’ll just switch it back to friendly mode and start trusting people again. That’s how I work”.
Enough said right?
Watch them fight in URCC 21: Warpath on April 28, 2012.
For more URCC news, don’t forget to visit http://urccmma.com and for questions, suggestions, comments and violent reactions, just add me up on http://facebook.com/alfredgealogo and follow me on twitter (@alfred_gealogo).
Folayang lands a body kick on Laursen in their fight held in Singapore.
In a war of lions, two of the best homegrown mma fighters to ever come out of the Philippines fell short in their bid to extend their winning streaks stretching back to Martial Combat FC.
Last Saturday, March 31, 2012, at ONE FC 3 – War of the Lions held in Singapore, Team Lakay’s Eduard “Landslide” Folayang and Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon both lost to their rivals dealing Folayang his second professional loss and breaking Belingon’s undefeated record.
In a back to back brawl that saw the audience gasping and getting out of their seats, Eduard “Landslide” Folayang lost a split decision to Ole “Iron Fist” Laursen in what I and a lot of people predicted would be a classic fight.
Both came out swinging in the first round but everyone was surprised with Ole’s display of his much improved grappling skills. He practically took Folayang down at will and even threatened with a Kimura and a Rear Naked Choke. As expected, Ole’s striking was more technical and he would land punches, kicks and knees on Eduard. Although it was a close round, I gave the round slightly to Laursen for takedowns. During the second round, what in my mind doomed the fight for Eduard, aside from his takedowns and combinations, Ole Laursen threw a very stiff jab that knocked down Folayang exposing his back to Laursen for a few moments. Eduard would then throw wicked combinations that would end with either a spinning elbow or a spinning back kick but I guess due to the knockdown, judges gave the round to Laursen. I gave the 2nd round to Folayang. Although he was dropped early in the round, I believe his flurries and combinations were enough to steal it. The third round showcased the big similarity between the Energizer Bunny and Eduard, they just keep going. Eduard fired off so many punches and body kicks in this round that Ole looked ragged and worse for wear. Eduard just threw everything he had and a very game Laursen just stood there and returned with heavy leg kicks. In my eyes, round 3 goes to Folayang by landslide but then he would have to swallow this one as a split decision loss as the majority judges definitely saw it in a different way.
Laursen looked the more complete fighter that night and maybe a match with Zorobabel Moreira or a rematch with Felipe Enomoto would be interesting. It would also be great if his next fight is held in the Philippines so that “Iron Fist” would be better known by his countrymen. Maybe a rematch with Eduard in Manila? Eduard looked good even if defeat and maybe some mat time would be great for the “Landslide”. His boxing has improved but his Jiu-Jitsu needs a bit more polishing. There were a couple of times that Eduard could’ve won it from the ground and they would do well to take advantage of that next time.
In a one-round affair, Masakazu “Ashikan Judan” Imanari defeated Kevin Belingon with a Heel-Hook. Twenty seconds or more into the fight, just as they are circling each other and measuring each other’s range, Imanari threw a head kick that was very far off and resulted in a slip. Just as Imanari rolled onto his back, Kevin attacked a mistakenly threw a roundhouse to the “Ashikan Judan’s” leg which was caught by the Japanese who turned it into a leg-lock. Kevin would defend well for but after Imanari transitions into an inside heel-hook, Belingon had no choice but to tap at the 3:42 mark of the first round. If Kevin is to face another high-level Jiu-Jitsu fighter in the future, he needs to bring his BJJ to a higher level. I could say that he got caught with a leg-lock by the guy who is considered to be either #1 or #2 in the world with regards to leg-locks but the truth is, mma fighters need to be really well-rounded especially at the level where they are fighting.
Eduard Folayang vs. Ole Laursen Fight Video – just click the link below
http://rd3.videos.sapo.pt/play?file=http://rd3.videos.sapo.pt/eKi3KvzBNlBYqngzkSPF/mov/1
Kevin Belingon vs. Masakazu Imanari:
You can watch the whole event here:
My name is Alfred Johannes T. Gealogo, an MMA journalist based in the Philippines. I’m a proud supporter of Filipino Martial Arts and Asian MMA. I’ve been involved in different Martial Arts since the age of six and is currently a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Blue Belt under Master Alvin Aguilar of Deftac/Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu. For comments, suggestions, questions and violent reactions, add me up at http://facebook.com/alfredgealogo and follow me on twitter (@alfred_gealogo). Also, don’t forget to visit http://urccmma.com and www.onefc.com for breaking news regarding MMA in the Philippines and Asia.
gulpe 