Jiu-Jitsu expert Eros Baluyot survived a grueling bloody bout against fellow black belt Elouie Federic Sevilla, while Mariano Jones did what he promised during the Universal Reality Combat Championship 84 Rage on Tuesday night at the Xylo at the Palace in BGC in Taguig.
Baluyot of Parañaque City displayed great striking skills — never expected by the MMA fans — and great wrestling prowess to score a unanimous decision win over Sevilla in a flyweight match that improved his win-loss record to 2-0.
“I learned how to face and conquer myself first before and during the fight. Good thing I learned how to execute well with my striking and wrestling skills,” said the 30-year-old Baluyot, who worked in a month-long training camp in Baguio City to enhance his striking skills.
Sevilla, also bloodied after the fight, dropped to a 6-4 record.
Jones, meanwhile, put an end to Arvin Chan’s 12-year MMA career by crushing him with a kimura submission lock in three minutes and 45 seconds of the second round of their welterweight battle witnessed by URCC president Alvin Aguilar and vice president Aleks Sofronov.
Chan (8-10) showed his striking skills, trying to land solid blows, but the 26-year-old Costa Rican fighter also known as the “Hitman”, overpowered him with powerful takedowns before catching him with the deadly submission to hike his win-loss record to 2-0.
“This victory is for everybody, for those people who are always being put down. So always believe in yourselves, fight for what’s right, and not only to the LGBTQ+ community, but I dedicated this fight to the other individuals as well,” Jones said.
The fight cards, watched closely by Games and Amusement Board chairman Atty. Richard Clarin, are supported by Nuebe Gaming and Vietnamese Highlands Coffee.
Marianne Mariano escaped Jomary Torres’ wrestling and grappling skills via a split-decision triumph in the lone women’s strawweight bout.
Mariano got 29-28 and 30-28 scores from the judges, while Torres received a 29-28 score from the other judge.
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In the preliminary bouts, Denzel Dimaguila beat Marvin Dela Cruz via a rear-naked choke with 1:14 to go in first round of a flyweight bout, while Rhino Casipe also submitted Jeffrey Subla at 3:06, also via a rear-naked choke.
Rex De Lara also caught Leonard Fornia with a rear-naked choke in the first round of their featherweight bout.
In the amateur bouts, AJ Castellano defeated John Ilarde via a second-round technical knockout win of a heavyweight bout, while Chuckie Ruiz beat Gerald Galangue via split decision in a strawweight match.
In the first ever slap rap battle, Tazz Wiggins bested Closa Mafia via first-round knockout, while Sirdeo needed two rounds to knockout South Piezze.