Filipino-American Mark “Mugen” Striegl makes his debut on a global stage when he takes on dangerous Timur Valiev at UFC Fight Night to be held August 23, Sunday at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Baguio-based Striegl, 32, said he was proud to represent the Philippines in the fight which was the culmination of a lifetime of hard work.
Filipino fans can watch live over Cignal TV but will have to wake up early to catch the fight which will be held 5:30 a.m. over FoxSports (Channel 263 on Cignal). It’s the first fight in the preliminary card.
With the pandemic shutting down all MMA promotions except the UFC, the Baguio-based Striegl, 32, flew to Las Vegas last July hoping to land a fight with the promotion.
His prayer was answered with the fight but he comes in a decided underdog against the Dagestani Valiev, a countryman of UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Striegl fought three times under ONE Championship with all fights held at the Mall of Asia Arena. He then fought four times under local promotion URCC with the last fight being held last year. He has 18 wins (14 submissions, four decisions), two losses and one no contest.
Striegl won a gold medal in Sambo for the Philippines during the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. Sambo is a style of amateur wrestling included in World Wrestling Championships along with Greco-Roman wrestling and freestyle wrestling.
Striegl fights in the US for the first time since his professional MMA debut when he beat Andy Jewett through rear-naked choke at Total Combat 34 held July 25, 2009 at the Star Light Bowl at Balboa Park, San Diego.
The main event of UFC Fight Night features a Bantamweight battle between Pedro Munhoz and Frankie Edgar. The co-main event is a Light Heavyweight match between Ovince St. Preux and Alonzo Menifield.
Other fights in the main card are another Light Heavyweight match between Marcin Prachnio and Mike Rodriguez; Mariya Agapova against Shana Dobson at Women’s flyweight; and a Welterweight bout between Daniel Rodriguez and Takashi Sato.