Siege at the Fort

From "Mayhem in Manila" to "Night of Champions" to "Siege at the Fort." The evolution of Filipino-style ultimate fighting has spawned a new generation of mixed martial arts stars and hardcore fans who appreciate the nuances of harsh reality combat.

Philippine Association of Mixed Martial Arts (PAMMA) president Alvin Aguilar is pulling no stops in making the Universal Reality Combat Championships (URCC) a staple in the country’s sports menu. He knows that to build a stable following, he’s got to deliver a quality product. And so far, Aguilar’s credibility as a promoter has been unsullied.

Aguilar called the first URCC event "Mayhem in Manila" and packed the Casino Amphitheater in Parañaque to the rafters last November. Hundreds of fans were turned away as the place almost burst at the seams. Only one of 19 bouts went the distance and stars were born that night. Among the fighters who shone brightly were Richard Lasprilla, Alan Co, T. J. Tiu and Darwin Buenaobra.

Then came the second URCC dubbed the "Night of Champions" at the PhilSports Arena last April. Once more, fans came in droves to witness the action which was highlighted by the main event featuring Brazilian imports Andre Bispo and Tony Torres. The celebrities who watched at ringside included Caloocan City Mayor Rey Malonzo, Boy Quizon, Van Dolph, Epi Quizon, Patrick Garcia, Cheska Garcia, Derek Ramsay, Diether Ocampo, Mike Cortez, Eric Menk, Don Allado, Alex Crisano and Michael de Mesa.

The standouts in the second URCC were Fritz Hahn Rodriguez, Tiu, Lasprilla, Buenaobra, Co and Luisito Sangalang.

After two URCCs, fans are anticipating a bigger and better third staging. And Aguilar isn’t about to disappoint the legions. The third edition is called "Siege at the Fort" and it will showcase 15 bouts, a kickboxing tournament and a stick-fighting exhibition at the NBC Tent in Fort Bonifacio tomorrow night.

That’s not all. To spice up the hostilities, Aguilar is pitting former pro boxers against Muay Thai kickfighters in a series of strike-only bouts, meaning takedowns will be prohibited. The protagonists will duke it out, using fists and feet on a strictly stand-up basis. URCC veteran Joe Escriber, a former Philippine pro boxing champion, is in the bill. Escriber, 27, has gone the distance with the likes of World Boxing Council No. 1 superfeatherweight Randy Suico, Baby Lorona and former Philippine junior welterweight titlist Dindo Castanares.

The top attraction is a duel between Pasukuang Labanan co-founder Richie Lazaro and jiu-jitsu grappler Rodriguez. Both lightheavyweights are unbeaten in mixed martial arts competitions. They’re expected to employ different tactics from a variety of martial arts disciplines in the battle for supremacy.

Each fight will be two 10-minute rounds and decided by knockout or submission. A draw is declared when a match goes the full route. A referee and four ringmen will take charge of the action with doctors and paramedics on standby. The usual 14-ounce fingerless gloves will be used. No shoes of whatever variety will be allowed.

URCC fighters are practitioners of various styles of martial arts, including Gracie jiu-jitsu, yaw-yan (sayaw ng kamatayan), sari-an (sariling pamamaraan), boxing, submission fighting, suntukaran todo bakbakan, pentjak silat, judo, freestyle wrestling, taekwondo, kokushinkai karate, PMA karate, away kalye, fist, pancrease and dumog. They come from several stables like the Trobador Ramos Consolidated Martial Arts, Stanley’s gym, Philippine Kamao, Strike and Shoot Grappler Zone and Defense Tactics Center.

Aguilar said he’s upping the stakes in the third URCC to P10,000 as average appearance fee and P10,000 as winner’s bonus. In the first URCC, the appearance fee was P2,000 with P5,000 as winner’s bonus. The second URCC raised the appearance fee to P3,000 with a P10,000 winner’s bonus.

"As we evolve, the quality of our fights continues to improve," said Aguilar. "That’s why we’re also increasing our prize money. You’ll see a lot more excitement, tougher competition and more intense matchups in the third URCC because we’re letting loose the best fighters from the first and second URCC. It’ll be an early New Year’s celebration because you’ll see unbelievable fireworks in the Tent."

To make matters more interesting, Aguilar is introducing the URCC girls in tomorrow’s show. After the fights, he’s throwing a party at the Tent and opening the bar for ticket holders. The URCC girls, of course, will entertain guests. Now, that’s a treat you can’t miss. For ticket inquiries, call the Red Corner gyms at 867-8059 or 811-5647.