FEARLESS FIGHTING TO THRIVE ON VISIT OF UFC BIG GUNS
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 26 Sep 2008
Mixed Martial Arts has been given a major boost with the visit of Ultimate Fighting Championship ? UFC ? Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta and two-time UFC champion Chuck ?The Iceman? Liddell to Manila.
In fact the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN?s ?Balls? cable channel which is the Philippine partner of UFC plan to stage the first UFC event in Manila sometime in May next year.
Both were guests on the ANC Channel on ?Korina Today? which was hosted by TJ Manotoc and gave every indication that they would love to be in Manila where the sport has tremendous potential for growth.
In fact over four thousand fans, some of whom had been lining up for three hours, packed the SM Mall of Asia to watch ?Iceman? show off his trademark moves during an open workout.
?Mabuhay [or'Welcome'],? he said to his throng of cheering International fans. ?I was really surprised. It was kinda shocking how many people actually showed up to watch me work out for an hour. It?s crazy. I didn?t expect it to be that big here. I thought it was a new market for us.? After the event fans mobbed the ring in order to get an autograph. Iceman obliged signing T-Shirts, hats and even beer cans.
It is against this increasing interest especially among the young in Mixed Martial Arts Fearless Fighting telecasts the final one-hour show in its ?Intensity 8? series at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 26 over IBC 13.
Using the Octagon which is a highpoint of UFC and is being used by Fearless Fighting adds an exciting dimension to the MMA competition.
The main event features an eagerly-awaited rematch between Filipino middleweight champion Adrian Hillana and Iran?s Razi Jabarri held at the spanking new Ynares Sports Center in Pasig.
It was a terrific battle that had the fans on their feet throughout and a fight that set the tone for future events.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 13: JOE FRAZIER’S HUMBLE BEGINNINGS AS AN AMATEUR FIGHTER
By Maloney L. Samaco, Mon, 15 Sep 2025A New King, A New Challenger: Turki Alalshikh Proposes Crawford-Benavidez While Canelo Alvarez Faces Defeat with Humility
By Dong Secuya, Mon, 15 Sep 2025Highly Questionable Title Eliminator
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Mon, 15 Sep 2025Yoseline Perez Earns Silver Medal at Inaugural World Boxing Championships
Mon, 15 Sep 202521-year-old Filipino wins at Germany rapid chess tournament
By Marlon Bernardino, Mon, 15 Sep 2025Nagoya Nightmare: Naoya Inoue Notches One-Sided Decision over Murodjon Akhmadaliev
Mon, 15 Sep 2025Inoue’s Philippine Connection: Which Pinoy Super Bantamweight Could Challenge “The Monster?”
By Carlos Costa, Mon, 15 Sep 2025Yoseline Perez Advances to the Finals at the World Boxing Championships Perez Set to Face Chinese Taipei’s Hsiao-Wen Huang for 54-Kilogram World Title
Mon, 15 Sep 2025Canelo Gets Outboxed, Loses Undisputed Title to Crawford
By Carlos Costa, Sun, 14 Sep 2025A Masterpiece of Boxing: Terence Crawford Dethrones Canelo Alvarez in Historic Showdown
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025LEWIS CROCKER IS CROWNED THE NEW IBF WORLD WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION
Sun, 14 Sep 2025Battle of Undefeated: Callum Walsh Vanquishes Fernando Vargas Jr.
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Undercard Inferno: Mbilli and Martinez Deliver a Super Middleweight War Ending in a Thrilling Draw
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Crawford to defy odds?
By Joaquin Henson, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Clash of Titans: The Final Predictions for Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025