Bryan Battle gets UFC push; Fight Night to be shown live in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines – This Sunday, March 17, the Ultimate Fighting Championship is giving welterweight Bryan Battle a push when he takes on Ange Loosa (10-3-0) in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Tuivasa vs Tybura.

With Battle (11-2-0) on the heels of three sensational wins that includes a rear naked choke of AJ Fletcher, a spectacular knockout of AJ Green 14 seconds into the first round, and a debilitating leg kick that also kayoed Japanese fighter Takahashi Sato, it looks like the UFC has found a new sensation.

Even if he still doesn’t have his own Wikipedia page, which is a certain sign that any personality has arrived.

“It sounds odd for me to create one for myself,” said Battle. “But who knows, as the wins keep coming, someone will finally put up one for me.”

As for the wins, it certainly helps that Battle has serious knockout power. Only thrice in his professional career have his fights gone the distance. 

Furthermore, Battle sports constantly changing hairdos that will remind one either of current bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley or former NBA star Dennis Rodman.

When Battle defeated Sato, he looked like a younger Clay Guida. During the Green fight, he dyed his hair blonde and with the curls, looked like Charles Oliveira. Now, it’s the same color but with an almost skinhead cut. 

“Yeah a lot of people notice that,” said Battle, laughing. “But it isn’t meant to call attention to myself. I just sport what I am feeling at this particular time. Whatever the hair is, he (Loosa) will get ‘the Butcher’.” 

And yes, the nicknames are colorful. From “Pooh Bear” that started out as a joke when competing in The Ultimate Fighter to Bryan asking to be called “the Butcher” when he knocked out Sato.

It helps that as a youngster growing up in Charlotte, North Carolina, Battle excelled in many sports and the discipline and even certain techniques have helped him once he made that pivot to mixed martial arts.

Despite the attention and the co-main event opportunity he has received, Battle knows the responsibility is on him. 

“Fortunes can change just as quickly, man,” he said. “That’s how it is. So I am fully focused on Loosa.”

After all, the 30-year-old Congo native is called, “The Last Ninja”, which is arguably even more colorful than “The Butcher” considering he is African and not even Japanese, if we are to talk about ninjas.

Loosa has had a similar career path in terms of wins and losses and is coming off two consecutive UFC wins — both unanimous decision wins. 

The previous seven bouts, whether a triumph or defeat, have gone the distance for Loosa.  

“That means he is a dog and hard to stop,” underscored Battle. 

Loosa has never been knocked out or forced to submit. 

“I have my work cut out for me,” summarized Battle. “For sure, UFC Fight Night is going to be a tough one. There’s a first time for everything — including knocking him out.”

UFC Fight Night Tuivasa vs Tybura will be televised live in the Philippines on the Premier Sports channel on Sky Cable and Cignal as well as the Blast TV streaming application. The preliminary card gets underway at 4 a.m., with the main card at 7 a.m.