Blogs - linkenator

It's been a year since my latest blog about MMA here in my country and with the premier Philippine MMA team I've been a student and training in, TEAM LAKAY.
With my post graduate studies and field work, I've been not that active with ModdB. Anyways, I got some time off from my studies and field work and now to my fellow ModdB enthusiasts in MMA, I just want to repost a delayed livestream link of the current Pacific Extreme Combat event, PXC 41.

In this event, four of the fighters in Team Lakay will be competing. Coach Troy Bantiag, Coach Cris Pitpitunge, Coach Harold Banario and first Filipino Female fighter in PXC, Coach Gina Iniong. Coach Troy and Cris lost but Coach Harold and Coach Gina clinch the win for their respective fights.
Just click on the link ---> PXC 41

On another note:
My ModdB friends, I'm sorry for not being able to help you guys with your mods. As on Monday, I have volunteered myself with an NGO and the Philippine Red Cross to help my fellow countrymen who were the victims of the strongest recorded Super Typhoon that made a landfall in history. Typhoon Hainan is a lot more stronger, than even Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy that devastated the US the past years.
Super Typhoon Hainan made its destructive path in the Central Visayas bringing in nearly tsunamic 15 to 30ft (in some areas) storm surges that flooded its destructive waves from the seas onto numerous coastal towns and villages. The typhoon left a destructive swath with hundreds killed - shocking and appalling are the images of dead casualties, human adults and children stacked up like debris and cordwood at the sides of the streets in cities and villages that were decimated by the typhoon's onslaught. Whole families gone, numerous orphans and missing family members. The death toll will continue to rise every hour for several days as bodies will be discovered. A lot of missing persons are currently being reported specially in coastal towns where those waves from the storm surge took a lot of lives out to sea. The typhoon also affected the Bohol region where it just recently suffered from a 7.2 magnitude earthquake last month. And so I have registered to volunteer myself to help my fellow countrymen for at least 2 weeks. I do hope at least with this gesture, I can lend a hand and help someone in need at their most extreme crisis in their lives.

Kevin Belingon breaks down his win over Yusup Saadulaev in the opening round of the ONE FC Bantamweight Grand Prix and how he plans to make the most of his run heading into the semifinals.
Expectations were high when Kevin Belingon made his ONE FC debut because he was 9-0 and, unlike some of the other prospects emerging from the Philippines, had already been tested against good level foreign opposition.

Things didn't go to plan against Masakazu Imanari when he was submitted almost instantly and things did not get much better when he took on Soo Chul Kim who simply outwrestled him, putting the 24 year old on his back for three frustrating rounds.

People were wondering what all the fuss was about and when it was announced that he would be facing top ranked Russian wrestler Yusup Saadulaev in the opening round of the ONE FC Bantamweight Grand Prix the response was one of general pessimism with regards to Belingon's chances of success.

At ONE FC: 'Rise of Kings' Belingon didn't just win, stopping Saadulaev with ground and pound early in the opening round, but he finally got to showcase his skill set in front of an international audience. For the Filipino this was the biggest relief of all,

"I am very happy to get the victory but I want the glory to go to Team Lakay coaches and to all the Filipino people who believed in me even though I lost, that win was for them. Before I did not perform to my best for ONE FC and I am happy that people got to see the real 'Silencer'."

Belingon's nickname is 'The Silencer' because he is generally a man of few words, preferring to do his talking inside the cage although in the aftermath of his victory he was uncharacteristically expansive.

There is no doubt that he did not perform to his full potential in his first two ONE FC fights but he thinks he knows exactly what went wrong,

"Against Imanari I went to soccer kick him but then I remembered I had to wait for the referee to signal so I stopped and he grabbed my leg, I am glad ONE FC has changed that rule now. Before the fight with Soo Chul Kim I was cut in training and so it was difficult to work on wrestling and we had seen his fights before and were expecting a stand up fight, I was not expecting him to try and take me down all the time and I was not prepared for that."

This time around Belingon's preparation was perfect and whereas Kim was able to take him down seemingly at will Saadulaev, a decorated wrestler, was continually frustrated in his efforts to put the URCC flyweight champion on his back. He was left clutching at thin air on a couple of occasions as Belingon used his athleticism and agility to slip through the Russian's grasp.

According to the URCC flyweight champion and Wushu veteran this was the game plan going into the fight,

"We knew he was good in wrestling and good on the ground so we worked on avoiding the takedowns and on using my striking and Wushu. I thought if I could keep the fight standing I would win but I ended up on the ground in side control and so I used my ground and pound and finished the fight with punches on the ground."

Belingon, who like almost every other member of Team Lakay attended the University of the Cordilleras in Baguio, has finished a few fights with ground and pound but is equally adept at striking. He says he is comfortable fighting everywhere and can adapt his style to suit different opponents,

"Coach Mark Sangiao helps me to decide what to do in every fight, sometimes I like to go for takedowns but sometimes I just use my striking. I am always aggressive, it doesn't matter what is happening in the fight I always want to land a lot of strikes because I am very confident in my cardio, that is the Team Lakay way."

Training at altitude in the hills of Baguio gives the Team Lakay fighters an advantage when they fight in cities such as Singapore, Manila and Kuala Lumpur which are all at sea level. Belingon, along with team mates like Honorio Banario and Eduard Folayang, is renowned for his stamina and he says this has been key to his success,

"In the URCC I fight 10 minute rounds and sometimes before even 20 minute rounds so if the rounds are only 5 minutes I can be very confident that I will not get tired. I like to keep moving when I fight and to do lots of striking and if you have this style it is important to have good stamina."

There is still one more quarterfinal match up to be announced but at present the three semi finalists are Jens Pulver, Masakatsu Ueda and Belingon. The Filipino put on a bit more muscle in preparation for his last fight but normally walks at 135 lbs and could easily cut to flyweight but he says he is happy where he is,

"At Team Lakay we have a lot of flyweights and Rey Docyogen and Geje Eustaquio are already signed with the ONE FC so if I try to fight flyweight as well I think that is too many. Fighting bigger fighters is ok for me, I will see who I am fighting in the semi finals all the fighters in the tournament are very strong but that is good because I want to fight strong fighters."

Regardless of what happens in the semifinals Belingon has at least proven that he can compete with the best in the world as a bantamweight against. By beating Saaduleav so emphatically 'The Silencer' has silenced the critics who suggested he was too small to fight at 135 lbs and would not be able to replicate his early success on the international stage.

Linkenator Note: Sorry for not updating guys. Those gamers out there whom we share the same passion in Intl. MMA, you know who you are and thanks for all the support and PMs, and playmates on STEAM! Yeah!
I haven't been on STEAM and ModDB for sometime as I've just come back from the US traveling, training, and family matters.

Pinoy fighters Kelly, Folayang conquer foes at ONE FC MMABy Bob Guerrero | The Passionate Fan –
Sat, Sep 1, 2012 3:22 AM PHT
Re-Editing By Linkenator

Eduard Folayang. Image copyright Bob Guerrero.

Eric Kelly and Eduard Folayang, both proud Igorot warriors, carried the Philippine flag proudly last night in the ONE FC: Pride of a Nation Mixed Martial Arts fight card at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Kelly downed former Ultimate Fighting Championship Lightweight champ Jens Pulver with a TKO in the second round while Folayang impressed the judges for a stylish unanimous decision over Peruvian-Swiss-Japanese Felipe Enomoto.

Eric Kelly. Image copyright Bob Guerrero.

"He's the Manny Pacquiao of MMA" said Pulver, a 37-year old American legend of the MMA wars.

Kelly entered the ring with an Igorot headband with a Philippine flag on it. Pulver took the first round but in the second 5-minute period Kelly caught the American with a wicked combination of punches. Moments later, the referee called a halt to the proceedings and gave Kelly the fight to the joy of the huge crowd at the Coliseum.

All sections from ringside to Upper Box A were sold out, with many Upper Box B seats also filled.

The 28-year-old featherweight now improves his perfect record to 8-0 and is slated to contend for the 145-pound ONE FC belt in October in Singapore versus fellow Pinoy Honorio Banario.

Folayang had a tougher matchup against Enomoto. The first round of their bout was cagey and close, but in the second Folayang, nicknamed "The Landslide" took command.

He was the aggressor all throughout the second round, connecting on several punches and bloodying the Peruvian. In the closing seconds, Folayang took him down and rained a flurry of shots at Enomoto.

The third round was tight with Enomoto desperately trying to make headway. But the judges felt Folayang was clearly the better fighter and called it a unanimous decision. Folayang's win-loss slate is now 12-2.

Fil-Canadian ONE FC president Victor Cui announced after the match that Folayang would also fight for a belt in October, this time the 155-lb title.

Honorio Banario had earlier outclassed another Filipino, Andrew Benibe, knocking him out in the third round.

Honorio Banario. Image copyright Bob Guerrero.

Kevin Belingon, another Pinoy from Team Lakay, was not so fortunate, bowing to Soo Chul Kim of Korea in a Bantamweight clash.

Kim seized the initiative from the opening bell, using quickness and power to bully Belingon all fight long.

Kevin Belingon. Image copyright Bob Guerrero.

The Korean's strategy of keeping the action on the ground worked as he cruised to a unanimous decision.

In the main event, Brazilian Bantamweight Bibiano Fernandes also won a unanimous decision over Brazilian-born Australian Gustavo Falciroli. It was a comprehensive victory for the DREAM Bantamweight champ, who punished Falciroli with his superior grappling all throughout the encounter.

One of the most eagerly-awaited bouts also had the most bizarre ending. Belarusian Andrei Arlovski and American Tim Sylvia, both former UFC heavyweight champs, met for the fourth time in their careers, with Sylvia holding a 2-1 edge going into the fight.

Sylvia took the first round but Arlovski was brighter to start of the second, landing a kick.

But a strange sequence unfolded as the round was about to end. Arlovski tagged Sylvia with two vicious rights that sent the American crashing to the canvas.

Arlovski could have tried submitting the dazed Sylvia or he could have punched and kicked him in the body. Instead he unleashed two illegal Soccer kicks into his head. The fight was halted and Arlovski was shown a yellow card.

After a few minutes the officials decided that a No Contest was the fairest outcome, and the fight was stopped for good. The two heavyweights, who had spiced up the lead-up to the match with some vitriolic words for each other, shook hands and embraced.

It was a mixed night for the legendary Gracie family, as heavyweight Rolles Gracie defeated Tony Bonello of Australia with a submission via Rear Naked Choke in the third round.

Gregor Gracie was also victorious in his 80 kg catchweight matchup with Aussie Nicholas Mann, who trains in the Filipino discipline of Hybrid Yaw-Yan (Sayaw ng Kamatayan.)

Gracie caught Mann in an armbar in the second round, forcing the Australian to tap out.

But a third Gracie, Igor, had a rough night in his Bantamweight meeting with "The Stone Cutter" Jung Hwan Cha of Korea.

Cha showed far more enterprise in the fight and with under two minutes to go in the third, overwhelmed his Brazilian foe with a barrage of strikes to force the referee to stop the match and award a TKO.

Another Brazilian, Welterweight Rodrigo Ribeiro, also fell by the wayside, crumbling against American Phil Baroni via TKO in the first round. Baroni celebrated by picking up a ring girl and carrying her out the ring.

Featherweight Shannon Wiratchai of Thailand came from behind to defeat another American, Mitch Chilson, with a ferocious right hand/right kick combo in the second round for a TKO win.

For more info, visit www.onefc.com.

Yahoo Philippines thanks Long Van Nguyen of www.vietfighter.com for his invaluable help with this article.

You can follow Bob Guerrero on Twitter @bhobg333

After selling out the Stadium Negara in Malaysia, ONE Fighting Championship is headed to the Philippines for what promises to be the most ambitious show the promotion has put on yet. The 16,500 capacity Arenata Coliseum is best known for playing host to the boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in 1975 and on August 31st, mixed martial arts (MMA) is set for its own 'Thriller in Manila'.

MMA is very popular in the Philippines with ONE FC regularly screened on ESPN and Star Sports, the UFC on the Balls Channel and URCC on Solar Sports. It is possible to watch the sport practically every night and the country is also a proven breeding ground for some of the region's most exciting fighters.

URCC champions Eduard Folayang (11-2), Roy Docyogen (10-0), Kevin Belingon (9-1). Eric Kelly (7-0) and Honorio Banario (6-1) are all likely to be in action which should give the fans plenty to cheer about while the card is also expected to see the ONE FC debut of legendary lightweight Shinya Aoki.

ONE FC has made phenomenal progress since being formed just 12 months ago and has already put on events in Singapore, Jakarta and, most recently, Kuala Lumpur. A major MMA show had never been attempted in Malaysia before but ONE FC was able to sell out the biggest indoor arena in the country at the first attempt.

At the end of a weekend which featured a wealth of MMA action the major talking point was not the two UFC cards, Bellator 71 or Fedor Emelianenko's retirement fight but Zorobabel Moreira's brutal soccer kick KO of Roger Huerta at ONE FC: 'Destiny of Warriors.'

It was testament to how far ONE FC has come in a short space of time and the next card looks set to be the most exciting and ambitious yet. Dana White has been talking about putting on a show in the Philippines for over four years now, progress has been painfully slow with no date set at the time of writing but for frustrated Filipino fight fans the wait for a major international MMA show will soon be over.

The URCC is the longest running promotion in South East Asia and the most successful promotion in the Philippines. It celebrates its 10th anniversary this year and the organizer's will work hand in hand with ONE FC to put on this event which will probably feature most of the URCC champions as well as some other fighters such as Geje Eustaquio and Ole Laursen.

Phil Baroni has already tweeted that he expects to be involved and it is possible that the fight with Roger Huerta, which was originally set for ONE FC: Destiny of Warriors, could be rescheduled for August 31st. Folayang vs Laursen was one of the best fights Asian MMA has witnessed this year and while a rematch is believed to be in the works it is likely both fighters will face different opponents in Manila.

Speaking to media in Kuala Lumpur ONE FC CEO / Owner Victor Cui also shed some light on his plans for the future and revealed that there will be 18 shows in 2013. They will take place in nine different Asian cities with each destination hosting a ONE FC show roughly every six months.

Also lost in the pre fight publicity for last Saturday's ONE FC show was the news that the promotion had struck a lucrative deal with car manufacturer Chevrolet. Elsewhere MMA might be in danger of stagnating but in Asia the sport is growing at a staggering rate and ONE FC is at the forefront of this phenomenon.

LINKEN'S CORNER:

In my opinon, Coach Eduard lost the fight. There were no issues there for me. It was plain to see. I was expecting Coach Eduard to out wrestle and take Ole down but I was surprise to see the opposite. Furthermore, I think our coaches (no offense) should change their game plan against Ole. With due respect to Ole, aside from him learning Wrestling and BJJ, his striking is still the same as years ago. No difference when Ole fought Masato. I mean Ole should have adapted his Muay Thai style into a more MMA style. With changing of levels, from striking, to shooting, to the clinch, to wrestling and then to grappling - there's a lot to consider even with the basic fighting stance when it comes to MMA.

As you can see, based on the fight clip above (2008), Ole's striking style is still the same even when Ole started in MMA, his style should have adapted to frequently changing levels of MMA.
What I think he should do is make Muay Thai adapt to MMA. He has nasty knee strikes and that would work in advantage for him if he can bring his opponents close for knee strike combinations.
And of course, improve on his boxing skills too. I mean Coach Eduard pummeled Ole's face while Coach Eduard's face got away clean.

Make no mistake I am a fan of Ole Laursen ever since his fights in Thailand and Superleague to K1 Max and now his MMA fighting career.
But as a fan, I would like to see more growth and adaptability on his skills as a fighter and that goes also to Coach Eduard and all my heroes - fighters - in Team Lakay.
I mean, they are strong locally but there must be a phenomenal growth and sharpening of their skills to be able to compete in Asian MMA.

As for Coach Eduard vs Colossa, Colossa's striking was more sharper. But some say that it was Coach Eduard's dominant ground game that made him win this controversial fight.
But as you've seen the videos above, Coach Eduard's striking needs to be polished. Coach Eduard looks more tense as oppose to Colossa's relax composure when striking. Even during the fight with Ole, Coach Eduard was quite tense.
Coach Eduard should improve on his boxing skills and not too often depend on wild haymakers. I mean where are the combination strikes? Where are his punch-kick-takedown combos and the other such combos he posses?
Coach Eduard needs to evolve and be a multidimensional fighter in the Asian MMA scene. Now that the challenge for Team Lakay is MMA dominance in Asia, there are lots of fighters that posses different styles and in my opinion for Coach Eduard to rise to the challenges, he needs to evolve more to become an unpredictable fighter that has very effective striking, wrestling, grappling and clinching techniques.
Coach Eduard has lots of experience and his skill level is at his best for him. But then the Asian MMA scene is evolving too. And I hope that Coach Eduard's style is able to move, evolve, and match the fast evolving and unpredictable challenges Asian MMA has to offer.

One thing in Sanshou/Sanda is that we are a little bit shallow when it comes to knee and non-existing elbow strikes and techniques.
That is why even as my based sport is Sanshou, I have to train secretly in Muay Thai to learn such techniques and adapt it to my own Sanshou style.
There's no shame in learning another striking art. Personally I have to adapt and evolve my art to the changing tides of Martial Arts these days.
I might go on as far to say that sometimes Filipino Sanshou/Muay Thai stylists are too proud to not admit that they need to learn the strengths of both arts. The old mentality of "My art is better than your art - Kung-Fu is better than Karate - Muay Thai is better than Sanshou - Sanshou is better than Muay Thai - Yawyan is better than Sanshou and Muay Thai combine" is still prevalent in the Philippines nowadays.
An example of why we need to learn other arts aside from our base Martial Art, was Coach Geje Eustaquio in his first PXC 28 debut fight if I'm not mistaken. He fought Korean David Cho. During the fight, Coach Geje was unable to defend himself and counter from the clinch and therefore got a bloody nose. And that's one of the problems with us Sanshou practitioners we are not that knowledgeable when it comes to the Muay Thai clinch.
We oftentimes think that we do not need to learn the Muay Thai clinch because we have the advantage in takedowns and Wrestling. We need to accept the fact that to be able to compete in MMA, our arts need to evolve too and accept the techniques from other arts that might help us become the fighter we ought to be.
Personally I had to look for a good local Muay Thai coach to teach me the techniques of the clinch. During vacation from university in the past years, I had the opportunity to train in the US under Coach Shawn Tompkins, train in one of Brad Daddis' fight camps, attend a Greg Nelson seminar and others.
The experience is phenomenal and I do hope one day that when it is my time, I am able to rise to the challenge and make Team Lakay proud.

Coach Kevin's defeat against Masakazu Imanari (One FC3) and Kuya Honorio's defeat against Bae Young Kwon (One FC2) was gut wrenching to see them defeated easily without putting much of a fight. And yet other fighters such as Leandro Issa, was able to put up a fight against Imanari and eventually win by neutralizing Imanari's ground game (Master of Leglocks). The same goes to Edward Kelly who put up a fight against Kwon and swept the judges' decision.

I mean there must be something wrong here? What's in Leandro Issa that wasn't in Coach Kevin when he faced Imanari? What was in Edward Kelly that wasn't in Kuya Honorio when he fought Kwon? There are a lot of factors concerning such things. If we say training, I do not believe that's the difference. Because Coach Kevin and Kuya Honorio train like animals and they are the ones we try to emulate in the gym. But what was really lacking during their fights against Imanari and Kwon was probably strategy and adaptability to the fight situation - Coach Kevin, knowing Imanari was a Master of Leglocks, shouldn't have caught on to Imanari's bait to reel in Coach Kevin to kick him while he was on the ground. Youtube is a database of evidence of Imanari's leglocking prowess and shows the results when his opponents tried to kick him on the ground. And of course Kuya Honorio - sidekick attack - come on Kuya, at least there should have been a setup. It's the beginning of the fight and body shots already without any setup? Well in the gym, Kuya Honorio taught us to setup strikes - Coach Honorio should have been practicing what he was teaching in his fight against Kwon.
Because of an easy victory against Kuya Honorio, Kwon stated how Filipino fighters were not that tough to defeat. Edward Kelly, who is by the way a Filipino made Kwon eat his own words.

I really do hope that the lessons learned from Coaches Kevin and Honorio's defeats would not be lost but to improve Team Lakay fighters when encountering such diverse fighting styles Imanari and Kwon posses. I do hope that there will be rematches as both Coaches Kevin and Honorio continue up the rankings in ONE FC.
With this being said, I'm expecting hard sparring sessions and near-death workouts in the gym later today!!! LOL!

With DREAM officially in the grave, ONE FC has stepped up to the plate to stake its claim as the premiere mixed martial arts (MMA) organization in Asia. To that end, it has put together a very intriguing lineup of fights for its fourth outing, "Destiny of Warriors," which was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last Saturday, June 23. 2012.

*Note: The bout between Roldan Sangcha-an vs Allamurad Karayev was canceled because of a medical problem on the part of Karayev.
Well sometimes things like these happen. I've witness how Roldan trained very hard for this and I'm sure Karayev did too. Wishing Karayev that whatever medical condition or problem that is ailing him right now, hopefully he recovers on to good health and that a future bout between the two fighters will happen.

Rookie On The Rise.

Team Lakay Young Gun, Roldan “The Executioner” Sangcha-an looks to stay unbeaten against Allamurad “Pretty Boy” Karayev on June 23 in Malaysia.
Posted on May 24, 2012 by Zike Sugawara (Edited By: Linkenator)

It (is) said that the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge (challenging times) and controversy. Everyday in combative sports and in our daily lives we are often forced to go through tough times. However those problems are just roadblocks that try to stop us from reaching the goals we wish to accomplish.
(Linkenator's Note: It is the challenge of overcoming those roadblocks and the lessons we learn from it that makes us champions and fighters at heart.)

Born in 1990 in Saclit Sadanga, Mountain Province, Philippines, Roldan grew up showcasing great signs of enthusiasm, drive, and exploration for the things life had to offer. He was constantly active during his teen years participating in sports such as boxing and Wushu-Sanshou. These character traits eased his transition into martial arts.

Beginning his career at the age of 17 with boxing and Sanshou, Roldan’s hunger toward the sport grew after seeing his coaches from Team Lakay, Eduard Folayang, Mark Sangiao, Kevin Belingon and Roy Docyogen dominating not only in Wushu Sanshou National Championsips, but also (in) the MMA leagues in the Philippines.

Roldan is a very athletic guy who never backs down to any challenge. This 21 year-old warrior from the mountainous regions in the North of the Island of Luzon, the Philippines is one of those fighters who you want to see in action against somebody inside the ring or cage because of his very exciting style of fighting and enduring cardio.

Roldan is set to make his ONE FC debut against a fellow young prospect, 20-year-old Allamurad “Pretty Boy” Karayev in the highly anticipated ONE FC 4: Destiny of Warriors on June 23^rd in KL, Malaysia.

Here is our interview with rising Team Lakay fighter, Roldan “The Executioner” Sangcha-an.

MMAOrient: What was the first martial art that you’ve learned?

Roldan:

When I was a kid, I remember myself and my playmates playing roughly like kicking, wrestling, and punching each other because that’s the way we played as kids. Then one day, one of my friends invited me to train in Wushu Sanshou and the rest is history.

MMAOrient: When did you start training Wushu?

Roldan:

I started in 2007 when I was 17. I’m so grateful because I’ve learned how to punch and kick properly because of my training in Sanshou.

MMAOrient: Why did you chose MMA over other sports?

Roldan:

I chose this sport because it taught me how to discipline myself. My coaches at Team Lakay, Mark Sangiao and Eduard Folayang were also the reasons why I love this sport. They are true champions outside and inside the ring; they’ve taught me how to become a better and productive person. This sport also helps me to finance my needs, especially my education.

MMAOrient: Do you have any fight name?

Roldan:

Coach Mark Sangiao gave me the fight name “The Executioner” because every time I fight, I’m always looking forward to win in an impressive fashion.

MMAOrient: You are training with some of the best MMA fighters in Asia. Give us your thoughts on being a Team Lakay fighter.

Roldan:

I’m so thankful of being a part of such a great team. My coaches taught me how to be respectful and love my self and others. I’m so proud because I’m a Team Lakay fighter.

MMAOrient: What’s your ultimate goal in your fighting career?

Roldan:

My ultimate goal is to become an MMA world champion.

MMAOrient: What’s your favorite strike or submission to use in any fight?

Roldan:

I love throwing kicks and using my wrestling.

MMAOrient: Who is your biggest inspiration?

Roldan:

Coaches Mark and Eduard are my inspirations. They are true warriors and very down-to-earth human beings. Even though they’re famous in this sport, you will never see them doing stupid things outside and inside the ring. They are helping those fighters who are just starting to make their names in this sport and I’m so thankful because I’m one of those lucky fighters.

MMAOrient: Do you like to stand with your opponents or take them to the ground?

Roldan:

I love taking my opponents to the ground, but this is MMA, in order for you to become a champion, you must be skillful in every aspect of the game and sport.

MMAOrient: You are pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management Degree in Baguio. Does being a student affect your training?

Roldan:

There are tons of school works to do especially that I’m a graduating student. But as Coach Mark said, everything should be done in a balanced manner. When I have an upcoming fight, I make sure that before I go to the gym and train, all of my school works are already done.

MMAOrient:You will be making your ONE FC debut in the largest MMA promotion in Asia. What are your thoughts on fighting under the ONE FC banner?

Roldan:

I’m very honored and excited to make my ONE FC debut in the largest MMA promotion in Asia. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that’s why I’ll do my best to win.

MMAOrient: You’ll be facing Allamurad “Pretty Boy” Karayev, a 20-year-old unbeaten fighter with an impressive 9-0 record. Can you tell us a little bit about how your preparations are going for that match-up?

Roldan:

All I know about my opponent is that he’s a very good striker. I’m training very hard for this fight; I’m working on my striking and grappling as well. I will be hundred percent prepared on June 23rd.

MMAOrient: What can One Fighting Championship fans expect from you on June 23?

Roldan:

Fans can expect fireworks for this fight. I’ll be giving my best to win this fight and I’m sure Pretty Boy will bring his “A” game that’s why I’m very confident that we will give our fans a hell of a fight.

MMAOrient: Without giving your entire gameplan away, how would you win this fight ideally?

Roldan:

I am really looking for a KO win, but I’m sure he’s a tough fighter so I’m ready to go three rounds with this guy.

MMAOrient: Do you have any message to Pretty Boy?

Roldan:

To my opponent, let us give our best for this fight; let us give the fans a fight they will never forget.

MMAOrient: Any people/sponsors you would like to thank?

Roldan:

First of all, I want to thank the president of Wushu Cordillera Administrative Region chapter, Mr. Tony Candelaria, my Coaches, Mark “The Machine” Sangiao, Eduard “Landslide” Folayang, Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon and Roy “The Punisher” Docyogen and Honorio “The Rock” Banario. Also, to my teammates and to those Team Lakay fans who are always there for our team, Thank you all!

ONE FC Destiny of Warriors trailer:

Original Source:
Mmaorient.com

Linekantor Note: I copied your article and I edited what I posted here on my blog. Seriously ZikeSugawara, capitalize your abbreviations such as "mma"to "MMA". And I had to edit that line "banging against somebody inside the ring/cage" - nowadays the word banging has become a popular slang for sex so be advised when writing an article to choose your words carefully. Be aware if the words you use has a double meaning and might mean something else to your readers. Also avoid using slangs for that matter.
Yes, even if we are both Team Lakay members (I sparred with Roldan during his early years and last year) when we write for journalistic purposes, what we write, regardless of our opinions and convictions, be journalistic about it and that our articles we write should be neutral and devoid of any bias.
I know this since I took Journalism classes and have been a contributor and writer for various local Cordilleran newspapers and several national newspapers and local and international sports magazines since my senior high school years to my college years.
I hope that you will improve and take my friendly advice and critique.

Here are some fight and training clips of Allamurad Karayev
This is the guy our clubmate, Roldan Sangcha-an will be fighting.

Allamurad Karayev vs Roldan Sangcha-an Added to ONE FC: 'Destiny of Warriors' Card

By James Goyder on May 23, 2012 8:15 AM EDT

The card for ONE FC: 'Destiny of Warriors' at Stadium Negara on June 23rd continues to be released a fight at a time with Allamurad Karayev vs Roldan Sangcha-an the latest addition.

Karayev is currently ranked top 50 in the flyweight division (by fightmatrix.com) after running up a 9-0 record fighting exclusively in Malaysia, with all his wins coming by way if stoppage. ONE FC initially offered the fight to 10-0 Rey Docyogen but he will be sitting his architectural exams so Team Lakay proposed Sancha-an as an alternative.

Although the Filipino will be making his professional debut he has at least one amateur win (Linkenator's Note: Roldan has accumulated lots of amateur Sanshou fights, Sanda Fights, and several Amateur MMA Fights) under his belt and training with the likes of Eduard Folayang, Honorio Banario and Kevin Belingon, as well as Docyogen, he should be well prepared for his ONE FC debut.

Karayev, from Turkmenisan. is just 20 years old while his opponent is 21 meaning we could be looking at the future of the flyweight division in action. He is a member of the Muayfit camp in Kuala Lumpur and has lived in Malaysia for much of his adult life so should have strong support in the 10,200 capacity Stadium Negara.

Original Source:
Mmamania.com

The Expert’s Opinion: How Champions are Forged

Posted by Ivan Yap on June 19th, 2012

With four of its fighters currently holding Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC) championship belts, Team Lakay is — without a shadow a doubt — the top fight team in the Philippines. But in a country filled with athletically-gifted fighters, how does this Baguio-based gym consistently produce champions such as Eduard Folayang, Kevin Belingon, Honorio Banario and Roy Docyogen? The secret, as I discovered through a brief interview with its founder Mark Sangiao, lies with the mind.

Known for pushing a relentless pace and engaging opponents with unflagging aggression, Team Lakay fighters are ravagers of the ring, killers in the cage. Yet if you’ve met its founder, Mark Sangiao, you would never have guessed it. A picture of quiet confidence and a paragon of placidity, Mr. Sangiao shares his wisdom in a gentle and unassuming way — a fitting reflection of his approach to forging champions, which prizes mental fortitude as much as physical prowess.

Ivan Yap (IY): From your experience, what are the attributes that differentiate champions from other fighters?

Mark Sangiao (MS): Champion fighters are very different from regular fighters. Champions set clear goals, and pursue them with unwavering discipline and utmost patience. Champions possess a hardworking attitude, are always willing to learn, and have strong faith in God.

IY: How do you instill these mental attributes in your fighters? Do you have a specific regime in place, or are they an automatic product of your gym’s culture?

MS: We brief all gym members on the need to observe these principles, but we expect the attributes to really take root when they advance to the stage of being able to represent Team Lakay as fighters. Over time, the attributes have become engrained in our gym culture — especially when members see them being demonstrated by Team Lakay’s senior fighters and, of course, the champions.

IY: Do you inject elements of sport psychology into your coaching? Do you believe in the effectiveness of techniques such as imagery, pre-fight routines and self-talk?

MS: Yes, I do include sport psychology in my coaching and have found it to be invaluable for motivating my fighters, especially when they feel like giving up or when they start making excuses to get out of training, such as claiming that their bodies are breaking down from the intensity. I use sport psychology techniques throughout — before, during and after competitions.

IY: Team Lakay’s fighters are known to train extensively in natural environs. In your opinion, does this approach yield physical and mental benefits beyond that which are obtained through training in a cutting-edge gym, for example MusclePharm’s Training Facility which Rampage Jackson was privy to when he was training for his fight with Jon Jones?

MS: Yes, there are definite benefits to training in natural surroundings. Aside from pragmatic perks such as being able to save money, the fresh air that we inhale and the fact that our fighters are far away from potential vices contribute greatly to enhancing their athletic performance. With that said, we do also train in regular gyms because such facilities have a role in developing specific parts of our muscles and bodies.

URCC welterweight and flyweight champions Eduard Folayang (Top) and Kevin Belingon (Bottom) stay in tip-top shape by training on hilltops.

Training away from built-up areas enables Team Lakay fighters to purge urban distractions from their minds and to focus on building up their skills.

IY: Team Lakay’s fighters also train at high altitudes. High altitude training has been proven to improve certain aspects of physical performance, but do you think that there are mental benefits to be gleaned as well?

MS: Yes, the high altitude training we engage in helps us produce more red blood cells which aid in transferring greater amounts of oxygen to the different parts of our bodies and to our brains. This improves our conditioning and also enables us to make faster decisions during the heat of competition.

Nothing builds cardio — and character — like a punishing run along a hilly route.

Team Lakay’s hilly surrounds are breathtaking…

…literally.

IY: As its name suggests, Team Lakay espouses the value of brotherhood [Note: “Lakay” stands for “brother”]. Do you think that the resultant camaraderie has played a part in your team’s success?

MS: Absolutely. Team Lakay is all about brotherhood. If a member of our team fights, everybody rallies together to support and help him or her in training. The success of one is a success for all.

Company of champions: Success breeds success at Team Lakay

IY: Thank you for your time, Mr. Sangiao.

MS: Thank you very much for the interview.

Original Source:
Thefightnation.com

Baguio warriors give wushu golden finish November 22, 2011 JAKARTA – Brave Igorot cousins Mark Eddiva and Eduard Folayang literally and figuratively gave the Philippine team a strong finishing kick in the 26th SEA Games wushu competitions, topping their respective sanshou (combat) categories in dominant fashion.

The Philippine team was still without a gold in the fading light of wushu actions when old heroes Eddiva and Folayang struck, sending the Phl crowd to a frenzied celebration at the Senayan Tennis Indoor Center.

Eddiva, 25, outclassed Indon rival Youne Victorio Senduk for the men’s 65kg championship while Folayang, 27, was more impressive, knocking out Laotian foe Udon Khansay in the second round for the 70kg title.

Four Filipino bets made the sanshou finals but Mariane Mariano and Benjie Rivera settled for silver, both beaten by Vietnamese opponents.

Earlier in the day, the Philippines placed second in men’s duilian and third in women’s duilian, and Phl wushu secretary general Julian Camacho had looked restless with only two Filipinos left standing.

With tremendous pressures and all, Eddiva and Folayang delivered in the last two events in the competitions.

Eddiva, the 2002 World Cup bronze medalist who holds a 5-0 record in the fast-growing MMA (mixed martial arts) sport, ended the Phl team’s search for gold in battering Senduk.

Hitting and grappling very well, Eddiva disposed of the Indon in straight rounds (two).

“He gave me a good fight but I was there confident, and it helped,” said Eddiva, successfully defending the championship he won in Laos in 2009.

Folayang returned in the biennial games in style, knocking out Khansay with a turning side kick to cap his golden feat here.

“I’m very happy I’m back representing the country in the SEA Games. Making me happier is bringing honor to the country,” said Folayang.

The Baguio warrior pocketed a third SEAG gold medal following triumphant feats in 2003 and 2005. He was out of the games in 2007 and 2009 when the 70kg category was scrapped.

Folayang, a former PE teacher at the University of the Cordilleras, is the current welterweight champion in the URCC.

Source: Philstar.com

Honorio Banario defends his championship the second time and submits Patrick Manicad with an armbar.

Sherdog.com

En.wikipedia.org

I hope to post a link to a video of his latest fight soon.

Go Team Lakay!

Another news is that the Philippine Wushu Team is ready to compete in the 26th SEA Games in Indonesia.
After a lot of hard work and hard training, the team is ready to be put to the test in upcoming SEA Games.
There will be lots of competition with obviously Indonesia having the most athletes.

Coming from a Muay Thai background, I'm disappointed that sport Muay Thai wasn't included because of politicking and the name of the sport "Muay Thai" and that Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar complained that Muay is not exclusively Thai therefore it should not be called "Muay Thai" but "Muay" which translates "boxing" as the the aforementioned nations have similarities to Thai Boxing but do not call it Muay Thai and so the debate continues and the sport suffers from not being included in the SEA Games along with other controversies concerning games and other sports not being included.

En.wikipedia.org

Anyway I am excited on how our own Philippine Wushu Team will perform in the competition. Lots of hard work and new training have been invested by these athletes. I hope that they bring back the gold. Go Philippines!!!

P.S.
Several folks pm'ed and asked me the names of the unarmed fighting arts that are similar to Muay Thai around South East Asia especially around Thailand. Actually you can search these on the web. Thank you for your interest.

Thailand - Muay Thai, Muay Boran (its Ancient Art) and other Ancient styles of Muay. Southern Style: Muay Chaiya, Muay Maa Yang, Muay Korat (Muay Paak Eesaan), Muay Paak Klang/Muay Lopburi, and Northern Styles: Muay Lampang and Muay Uttaradit.

Laos - Muay Lao.

Cambodia - Pradal Serey and another martial art Bokator.

Myanmar (Burma) - Lethwei and a non-Muay related martial art, Bando.

Malaysia - Tomoi.

As for Vietnam it has its own unique martial art named Vovinam.

For actual footages, you can search them on youtube.com :)