LEGEND FC 8 RESULTS

Official press release:

JADAMBA KEEPS LIGHTWEIGHT BELT AT LEGEND 8 IN HONG KONG EXCLUSIVELY PRESENTED BY CITY OF DREAMS, MACAU

Yusuke Kawanago claims featherweight championship in ‘Fight of the Night’

HONG KONG – Friday, March 30 2012: A packed AsiaWorld-Expo tonight saw defending lightweight champion Jadamba Narantungalag of Mongolia end South Korean Nam Yui Chul’s three-match Legend win streak by submission at 0:58 in the second round the main event of Legend 8 exclusively presented by City of Dreams, Macau.

In the wild featherweight championship co-main event Chinese submission specialist Xi Jian lost to Japanese rival Yusuke Kawanago, who pulled out a submission of his own in the final minute of the second round. The exciting, frenetic bout was also named “Fight of the Night.”

FRIDAY FIGHT FACTS #19

THE AFTER PARTY

3/24 - RUFF 3, Chongqing, CHINA

3/24 - ROAD FC 007, Seoul, SOUTH KOREA

!FIGHTING!

3/30 - Legend FC 8, HONG KONG

3/31 - ONE FC / DREAM 3, SINGAPORE

W-L-D

For Immediate Release

LEGEND FC 8 TO BE BROADCAST ON USTREAM (outside of North America)

RUFF 3 WEIGH IN RESULTS  Hong Kong's Rodrigo Caporal ventures north of the border toRUFF锐武终极格斗 China to take on Zhang Lipeng, along with Irshaad Sayed in an excellent match up with Jumabieke Tuerxun.

ONE FC 3 COVERAGE

I am on the ground in Singapore now and heading out for the first day of coverage on the ONE FC 3 event and then the Singapore MMA community.  Here's the final fight card.  Be back with pictures and words later.  Today is the weigh ins.

LEGEND FC 8 TO BE BROADCAST ON USTREAM

From the latest press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LEGEND TO BROADCAST FIGHTS ON USTREAM

Legend 8 to be first feature of long-term agreement

Hong Kong, 29 March 2012 (Thursday) – Legend Fighting Championship (Legend) today announced an agreement to broadcast its fights live on its Ustream channel (http://www.ustream.tv/LegendFC).

As part of the agreement with Ustream, Legend will broadcast future Asia-Pacific Mixed Martial Arts Championship events on a pay-per-view basis, beginning with Legend 8. The events will be available live worldwide except in North America. Legend’s North American fans can purchase Legend fights on pay-per-view on all major cable and satellite operators in the United States and Canada.

Legend 8 will take place Friday, March 30, at Asia-World Expo in Hong Kong. The undercard begins at 7:00 PM Hong Kong time (11:00 AM GMT) and will be available live to all users at no charge while the live main card will begin at 9:00 PM Hong Kong time (1:00 p.m. GMT) and is available on a pay-per-view basis.

“The agreement with Ustream is part of Legend’s effort to bring the best Asia-Pacific fights to MMA fans around the globe,” said Legend co-founder Chris Pollak. “This is a great opportunity for Legend and its fans now and in the future.” 

ONE FC ANNOUNCES NEWEST PARTNERSHIPS: CARL'S JR, SONY, TRUE FITNESS

Press Release from ONE FC:


American Restaurant Giant Carl’s Jr® to be Official Food and Beverage Partner at ONE Fighting Championship™

27 March 2012 – Singapore: ONE Fighting Championship™ (ONE FC) is proud to announce that Carl’s Jr® will be the official food and beverage sponsor for ONE FC. Leading American quick service hamburger chain Carl’s Jr®, known for its quality and variety of great tasting food, has provided Southeast Asian restaurant goers with fresh to-order great-tasting burgers and sandwiches since 2005.

Mr Calvin Tan, CEO of Carl’s Jr® Singapore said, "Since ONE FC’s inaugural event in September last year, ONE FC has grown to be the biggest Asian MMA promotion worldwide. By bringing top-class match-ups between some of the most renowned fighters to the fans, it's easy to see how ONE FC is committed to being big on action. Similarly, with a history of serving up big, decadent burgers, Carl’s Jr® is known worldwide for packing a punch where taste is concerned. As such, we firmly believe that this partnership will amplify both our interests in providing satisfaction to the legions of MMA and burger aficionados in Southeast Asia."

Mr Victor Cui, CEO and Owner of ONE Fighting Championship™ said, “I am extremely proud to announce this partnership with Carl’s Jr®. Go big or go home right? Carl’s Jr® is one of the world’s most successful restaurant chains and I look forward to welcoming the brand to our list of prestigious partners for ONE Fighting Championship™. This is going to be epic!”


ONE Fighting Championship™ and True Fitness Form Partnership

26 March 2012 – Singapore: ONE Fighting Championship™ (ONE FC) is excited to have signed a partnership with True Fitness. True Fitness is one of Asia’s largest fitness and wellness corporations offering its members state-of-the-art fitness facilities and a variety of classes ranging from core strengthening and yoga to high intensity body combat. True Fitness is at the forefront of developing the fitness experience for the Asian consumer. The partnership between True Fitness and ONE FC brings together two premium brands that represent fitness and athletic excellence.

RUFF 3 RECAPS AND RESULTS

Here is the press release from RUFF following their third card on March 24th in Chongqing, China:

Caporal defeats Zhang at RUFF 3, Jumabieke and Wang stay perfect
Chongqing, CHINA –On heels of the RUFF Million RMB Super Fight announcement, lightweight Rodrigo Caporal secured a majority decision victory over Zhang LiPeng, 28-28, 29-28, 29-28, at RUFF 3,to move one step closer to becoming China’s first MMA national champion.

Taking what was later named the “Ranik Fight of the Night” to the ground in the first two rounds, Caporal nullified Zhang’s striking edge with textbook rear mounts, but was unsuccessful on several rear naked choke attempts, needing the full 15 minutes to earn the win, upping his record inside the RUFF cage to 2-0 in the process.

“I tried for the choke, but every time he slipped [out],” explained Caporal. “He’s very strong, good at defending Jiu Jitsu. I tried to finish, but didn’t.”

Caporal’s teammate, Irshaad Sayed, fought an equally impressive match against undefeated bantamweight Jumabieke Tuerxun in the co-main event, but ended up on the losing side of a 29-27, 29-27, 27-29, split decision.

RUFF 3 RESULTS

RUFF 3, 3/25/2012. Chonqing, China

• Rodrigo Caporal def. Zhang LiPeng via split decision (28-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Jumabieke Tuerxun def. Irshaad Sayed via split decision (29-27, 29-27, 27-29)
• Wang Guan def. Jiang ZhouWen via T.K.O. (punches), R1 3:05
• Ji Xian def. Xue GuoBin via submission (armbar), R1 1:19
• Ayideng Jumayi def. A Qiao via T.K.O.(punches), R1 1:10
• Yang Liang def. Wen JunCheng via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• TaYier def. LiBoLin via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
• Hasitieer TeerJiang def. Wan HongChen via T.K.O. (punches), R2 3:59
• Liu PingYuan def. Liu LianJie via submission (armbar), R1 4:31

Originally posted as partial results on 3/25 noon:

RUFF's website doesn't have a fight card up and hasn't sent out results.  These matches listed have come from personal sources and from China press here.  Translation may be inaccurate and results will be updated as released by RUFF.

ROAD FC 007 RESULTS

That's Kim Ha Yul, here are her 'vital statistics'.

She wasn't the only MMA lady in the house: Ms Tracy Lee took a last minute plane from Singapore to see the fights firsthand.  She ran into her old buddy Zombie, all the rage these days.

ROAD FC 007

Tommy Kang defeats Eun Soo Kim, TKO

Min Jung Song defeats Jae Hyun So, decision
Takasuke Kume defeats Chang Hyun Kim, armbar
Roan Carneiro defeats Jung Hwan Cha, armbar

Jae Hoon Moon defeats Kim SooChul, decision

Kyung Ho Kang defeats Shoko Sato, armbar

Young Guns 3

Yong Jae Lee defeats Dong Sun Choi, decision
Gyu Hwa Kim defeats Sa Muel, decision
Moon Jung Hee defeats Sang Hyun Lee, round 2 triangle
Won Ki Kim versus Sung Jin Hong, draw

Seok Mo Kim defeats Hyeon Yeol Kim, round 1 TKO
Nae Chul Kim defeats Jae Hyun Kim, round 2 TKO

Full results in Korean here.

로드FC 7-RECHARGED 대진표
2012년 3월 24일 서울 장충체육관

6경기 [밴텀급 토너먼트 8강전] 강경호 vs. 사토 쇼코

5경기 [밴텀급 토너먼트 8강전] 김수철 vs. 문제훈
문제훈, 3라운드 종료 판정승

4경기 [-80kg 계약체중 경기] 호안 '쥬카오' 카네이로 vs. 차정환
쥬카오, 1라운드 암바 서브미션승

3경기 [라이트급 원매치] 이형석 vs. 쿠메 타카스케
쿠메, 2라운드 암바 서브미션승

2경기 [밴텀급 토너먼트 8강전] 송민종 vs. 소재현
송민종, 3라운드 종료 판정승

1경기 [무체급 슈퍼파이트] 토미 강 vs. 손규석
토미 강, 2라운드 펀치 KO승

RUFF 3 WEIGH IN RESULTS

From this morning's press release:

RUFF 3 Weigh In Results

Chongqing, CHINA – There were no major surprises at the RUFF 3 weigh-ins, as 17 of the 18 fighters made weight on their first try, with only featherweight Xue GuoBin needing an extra hour to drop an additional 200 grams to avoid penalty.

While the majority of the fighters were relaxed for the weigh in, extending an almost friendly rapport to their opponents, tensions flared for the final stare down of the day, as main event competitors Rodrigo Caporal and Zhang LiPeng engaged in a tension filled locking of the eyes, butting heads as tempers reached a peak.

Despite outside speculation that certain fighters may skip the weigh in altogether, all 18 fighters reported as scheduled after undergoing a thorough physical examination and medical check.

Cutting weight has been a topic of contention among Chinese fighters who are still adjusting to the radical weight loss regimens, but even with Jumabieke Tuerxun dropping down to bantamweight for the first time in a RUFF promotion, and Wang Guan and Ta Yier making their first appearances in the featherweight division, all the fighters were right on cue.

With weigh-ins complete, RUFF and their fighters are now set for tomorrow night’s event at the Chongqing Indoor Stadium.

FRIDAY FIGHT FACTS #18

"This fight is only the 3rd time that I am fighting outside of Japan. It is one of the biggest fights of my career."

-Masakazu Imanari, DREAM Superstar and DEEP Champion

"This is the most important fight of my career."

-Kevin Belingon, URCC Champion

The AFTER-PARTY

3/17 - ZST! 31, Tokyo, JAPAN

3/17 - DARE 2/12, Bangkok, THAILAND

3/17 - RisingOn 11, Osaka, JAPAN

3/18 - HEAT 21, JAPAN

!FIGHTING!

3/24 - RUFF 3, Chongqing, CHINA

3/24 - ROAD FC 007, Seoul, SOUTH KOREA

W-L-D

For Immediate Release

DREAM+ONE FC "tweet for toys" and a NICO NICO STREAM IN JAPAN


RUFF CHINA NEWS: SCRATCHES, CUTS, & STREAMS: ahead of RUFF锐武终极格斗 3 in Chongqing, China this weekend, some news from the promotion including Amu Rijirigula off the card, Alex Niu cut from the promotion, and a QQ portal page

VAUGHN 'BLUD' ANDERSON'S LEGEND FC 8 INSIDER GUIDE

DREAM+ONE FC "tweet for toys", NICO NICO STREAM IN JAPAN

In the absence of any announcements regarding when might be the next DREAM event in Japan, the official website and twitter accounts for the promotion have been on overdrive promoting the ONE FC event in Singapore.  ONE FC's negotiations with DREAM have enabled them to secure several of the highest-profile fighters for their upcoming War of the Lions event on March 31st: "Crusher" Kawajiri, Masakazu Imanari, Yuya Shirai, and Yoshiyuki Nakanishi.  Now DREAM announces that if you tweet encouragement to these Japanese fighters by way of @dream_pr and use #dream_onefc, you just might be selected to win a toy.

It was also announced that the event will be live streamed on Nico Nico in Japan and can be purchased of 1,500yen.  Here is the website and the text is below.

DREAM×ONE FC twitter企画！
応援メッセージをつぶやいてスペシャルプレゼントをGETだ!! #dream_onefc

3・31『DREAM×ONE FC ~ONE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP: WAR OF THE LIONS~』（シンガポール・インドア・スタジアム）twitter企画！　同大会に出場する川尻達也、今成正和、白井祐矢、中西良行の応援メッセージをつぶやいてお宝グッズをゲットしよう！

【DREAM×ONE FC twitter企画 #dream_onefc 】
◎募集内容／ハッシュタグ #dream_onefc をつけて、川尻達也・今成正和・白井祐矢・中西良行への応援メッセージをつぶやきましょう。皆さんのツイートのなかからベストツイートを選出して選ばれた方にお宝グッズをお贈りします。また、決定したベストツイートはオフィシャルサイトまたは当日のニコニコ生放送の中で紹介させていただく予定です。
◎期間／～3月31日（土）正午（日本時間）まで。

RUFF CHINA NEWS: SCRATCHES, CUTS, & STREAMS

As the date gets closer to this weekend's RUFF 3 in Chongqing, the China promotion has flown some interesting news under the radar on their website, first of which is an unfortunate card change with the stellar fighter A Mu:

A Qiao replaces A Mu, RiJiRiGaLa a doctor’s scratch
Just a week after being awarded his BJJ purple belt, China Top Team bantamweight Amu RiJiRiGaLa has been diagnosed with a Staphylococcal infection (staph infection) that will keep him sidelined for RUFF 3.  Replacing RiJiRiGaLa is Thailand native A Qiao, a Muay Thai veteran of over 100 fights who currently trains at the K-1 Jiu Jitsu Club in Tianjin.  A Qiao will face Xi'An striker Ayideng Jumayi at RUFF 3. 

Second is an interesting turn of events surrounding Alex Niu, who was in the promotions promo videos and demos prior to their launch, but hasn't fought in an event yet.  To the best of our knowledge, he was training alongside Wang Sai at Ole Laursen's Legacy Gym, at least until the beginning of February.

RUFF cuts Niu, welterweight out of contention for Super Fight
Just two days after announcing the 2013 Super Fight, the million RMB bout to crown China’s first MMA national champions, RUFF has decided to part ways with welterweight Alex Niu.  Citing their frequent inability to contact the Thailand-based fighter, RUFF has officially cut Niu from the promotion, stating that he will not be a part of the upcoming 2012 season and the ensuing Super Fight.  Niu, who originally signed with RUFF in February 2011, was poised to become a staple of the Shanghai-based promotion, even participating in RUFF’s kick-off press conference in December 2010, but his reclusive nature and failure to respond to RUFF’s matchmakers have ultimately ended the relationship.  Unavailable for comment, Niu is rumored to be in Thailand at the moment, although his whereabouts are unconfirmed.

The final bit of news is quite good - if you're in China.  The third event for RUFF will not be live on the portal, but appears to be available the following day

RUFF 3 set to air on QQ Sports
With RUFF 3 just four days away, QQ Sports has, for the second consecutive fight, been named the official online portal of the Ranik Ultimate Fighting Federation.  QQ Sports, a subsidiary of Tencent Holdings, will air RUFF 3 fights beginning on March 25th, and has build a custom portal for all the latest RUFF news.  Tencent QQ is the world's largest online community, reporting over 647 million registered users as of December 2010.  For more on RUFF on QQ Sports, check out the official RUFF page (in simplified Chinese).

VAUGHN 'BLUD' ANDERSON'S LEGEND FC 8 INSIDER GUIDE

When it comes to knowing MMA in Asia from the battle lines, Vaughn 'Blud' Anderson is the field marshal.  Or that guy screaming to the front with a big bayonet.  Or that guy who blows the trumpet telling you it's time to die.  In any case, Blud is the man who knows the camps and fighters here as well anyone on the planet.  His exploits in the last year include KOing a Thai in seconds-only stunning fashion in a Muay Thai bout in Thailand, winning an 8-man heavyweight tournament in one night in Taiwan (he's not a HW), coaching MMA fighters at Ole Laursen's Legacy Gym in Ubon, and commentating at Legend FC events in Macau.  


Vaughn's blog is down right now, so MMA-in-Asia.com has jumped at the chance to post his previews of the next card for Legend FC 8 in Hong Kong.  Enjoy!


From Vaughn Anderson:

Legend 8 in Hong Kong here are some of the fight previews!

Jadamba and Nam
We know these guys well. It’s no mistake they're headlining the card. Expect the usual - a relentless, very violent bloodbath. Both have well-placed, punishing strikes and never-surrender stamina. An early knock out would be the only thing stopping this from being another epic battle for the history books, and that threat is a legit concern for both these guys. I am interested to see how our soft-spoken champion reacts to Nam’s in-your-face policy of utter disrespect. I wouldn’t want to be on Jadamba’s shit list.

Ji and Kawanago

Kawanago may be an expert kick boxer but his wrestling and submissions game are what gives him the confidence to stay in the pocket, drowning guys in pain with no fear of being taken down. Jixian, in many ways, is his opposite – always one step ahead, the guys he fights are often frantically scrambling from one escape to the next ‘til their luck runs out. Ji’s sanda base makes his game plan much less predictable - we’re never sure if Loping heads off will be his ‘Plan A’ or his back-up plan.

SFL INDIA ANNOUNCES 3 FIGHTS FOR CHANDIGARH CARD

The following is from a press release sent from India's Super Fight League:

SUPER FIGHT LEAGUE 2, Chandigarh, India, Saturday 7th April

Following the sell out success of SFL 1 (Mumbai, 20th March), India's first MMA Organization Super Fight League (SFL) is proud to announce the following fights have been confirmed for SFL 2 taking place on Saturday 7th April: 


Todd Duffee V Neil Grove
Paul Kelly V Gabe Ruediger
Alexander Schlemenko V Ikuhisa Minowa (Minowaman)

FULL EVENT LIVE & EXCLUSIVE AT YOUTUBE.COM/SFL Once again, fans from all over the world can tune in and watch the event live and free on the official SFL YouTube channel: YouTube.com/SFL.

Todd Duffee is a veteran of the UFC and DREAM and still holds the distinction of the fastest ever knock out victory in UFC history when he beat Tim Hague at UFC 102 in 7 seconds. A fearsome striker and talented wrestler, Duffee brings his explosive style to India for the first time and will need all of his skills when he faces UK based South African Neil "Goliath" Grove at Super Fight League 2. A Bellator Season 5 Heavyweight tournament semi finalist and former UCMMA Heavyweight champion, Grove also holds a victory over James "Colossus" Thompson, who beat Bob "The Beast" Sapp at SFL 1. His impressive record features 11 victories, all of which have come via KO or TKO. While nothing is ever certain in MMA, you can bet on fireworks when these two heavy handed fighters meet inside the O-Zone.

New mini doc on Neil Grove: http://youtu.be/dEXtJAp_Hjo

ONE FC ANNOUNCES MALAYSIAN TV DEAL WITH ASTRO, NEW EVENTS

Beyond its partnership with ESPN STAR Sports, ONE FC has announced a media deal that will further increase its footprint in Asia.  Malaysia's major broadcast company Astro has purchased the exclusive rights to air ONE FC events on its sports channel Arena.  Out of ten sports channels offered by Astro (including ESPN and STAR Sports), Arena is the channel to showcase and develop local Malaysian sports, with roughly one-third of its programming dedicated to such:

The channel will deliver 700 hours of live, local sports a year, with an additional 2000 hours of replays greatly expanding the amount of local sports available in the country. It will also provide coverage of up to 56 hours a week of Malaysians competing at international level or the best in world sports of particular interest to a Malaysian audience. All of this commentated in Bahasa Malaysia.

ONE FC has its first Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia event scheduled on May 26th.  While ONE FC stated this show is to accommodate Arena's broadcast schedule, the promoter has confirmed that it is still in the planning process of what this will entail.  If viewers in Malaysia can watch the event live and commentated in Bahasa, it will be a fantastic regional breakthrough for MMA.  With Raymond Tiew and Peter Davis representing Malaysia in ONE FC, and BJJ pioneer in Malaysia Marcos Escobar set to make his professional MMA debut with the organization, ONE FC has already begun to establish a local fan base to fuel future viewership of Arena broadcasts.  The country has a burgeoning MMA scene as developed by Ultimate MMA Academy's "Ultimate Beatdown" events, and MuayFit's sponsored "Malaysian Fighting Championships", held six and five times respectively.

DARE 2/12 RESULTS

Shoyidor Jurabekov versus Bruce Loh, Flyweight Opening round
Shoyidor took the fight on short notice after his teammate "Pretty Boy" hurt his hand in training.  Julio Ez is the referee.  After a very short back and forth that sees Bruce taking his time to finding his shots and Diyor counter punching and with some nice knees, Bruce goes for a single leg and the fight ends up the ground, with Diyor grabbing a guillotine.  Soon it's a scramble back to standing and as Bruce goes for a sidekick, his supporting leg buckles and he drops in agony, giving Diyor a win, though not quite a satisfying one.  Not long enough to assess either fighter, but Diyor seems to be a pretty decent counter puncher.


Shoyidor Jurabekov def Bruce Loh, rd 1 leg injury



Saengchit "Nuay" Parkaiphet versus Will Chope, Featherweight Quarterfinals
After Muayfit's Will Chope gave up half his fight purse for coming in substantially over (4kgs), and was limited to the weight he regained on fight day. He walks out to some nice Irish rock appropriate for St. Patrick's Day.  Nuay of Legacy Gym comes out looking comfortable then needs to have his gloves taped.  The ref is Oliver Coste.  Nuay leads with a kick.  Will's plan is to take the much shorter guy against the cage and go for a high crotch takedown, which he eventually gets.  Will mounts with some GNP, and Nuay surprises the crowd with a sweep back into guard.  He goes for a leg lock, but wily Will twists out to take Nuay's back and eventually gets a tap by choke.  Good game by Nuay, Will is just too long for most featherweights.


Will Chope def Saengchit "Nuay" Parkaiphet, rd 1 RNC

LEGEND 8 HONG KONG: PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jadamba to Defend Lightweight Title in Hong Kong at LEGEND 8

Japan’s Yusuke Kawanago to face China’s Ji Xian for the featherweight title

Hong Kong, March 15, 2012 (Thursday) — Legend Fighting Championship returns to Hong Kong for City of Dreams exclusively presents LEGEND 8, with Mongolian Jadamba making his first Legend lightweight title defense against challenger Nam Yui Chul of South Korea at the AsiaWorld-Expo on March 30. 

Jadamba (1-0 Legend, 7-2 overall), who is ranked as one of the top 20 lightweight fighters in the world, won the Legend lightweight title with a split decision victory over Australia’s Adrian Pang at LEGEND 6 in October 2011 at the City of Dreams, Macau.  In his first title defense, he will match his precision striking against Legend veteran and fan favorite Nam (1-1-1 Legend, 13-3-1 overall), the former Spirit MC welterweight champion who now fights as a lightweight.

In the co-main event, Yusuke Kawanago of Japan (1-1 Legend, 8-3-1 overall) will face China’s Ji Xian (1-0 Legend, 7-0 overall) for the Legend featherweight title. Kawanago is known for his aggressive counter-striking style and is one of the hottest featherweight prospects in Japan. Half of his victories have come by knockout. The undefeated Ji has a sanda background but has also developed a reputation as one of China’s best grapplers. All seven of his victories have come by way of first-round submission. The winner of this matchup will make his first defense of the featherweight title against Fransino Tirta* at LEGEND 10in Jakarta in July.

“To have Legend back in Hong Kong, the place of its genesis, after more than a year is a great feeling,” said Michael Haskamp, Legend co-founder and managing director. “This is one of our best fight cards yet. Jadamba and Nam are two of the region’s most exciting fighters, and the Kawanago-Ji match-up pits a phenomenal striker against an outstanding grappler with world-class submission skills.” 

LEGEND FC 8: TO BE OR NOT TO BE? TO BE!

INDONESIA

Legend Fighting Championship has hosted seven events: four in home base Hong Kong, and three in the City Of Dreams entertainment complex in neighboring Macau.  Confident with their success in the region featuring a platform of Austral-Asian talent, Legend FC turned their focus towards an international debut.  The city they chose was Jakarta, Indonesia, where out of all the Southeast Asian countries, MMA had once reigned supreme, having two professional promotions and television broadcast.  Seeing the potential for resurgence, both Legend FC and Singapore-based ONE FC have centered on the market.  After ONE FC's successful sophomore outing in the city last February 11th, Indonesia was to witness MMA battle number two as Legend FC was set to touchdown on March 30th.

Currently on the Legend FC roster are two Indonesian fighters who would be on the card: Yohan Mulia Legowo and Fransino Tirta.  Fransino is one of the most notable MMA fighters in Indonesia having amassed an excellent record of 14-0-1 from his days with the premier Indonesian promotion TPIFC, through Art Of War, and into Legend FC.  He is a tough-as-nails fighter who has developed his BJJ skills along with those of an entire nation under Indonesian BJJ pioneer Niko Han.  Fransino was given the shot at the first Featherweight championship against equally impressive Pancrase standout Yusuke Kawanago, 11-3-1.  This is to be a match between two fighters who always go for the finish and could made a show to rival the Jadamba-Pang barn burner.

Yohan, after a year away from the ring, would return to face Sung Ming-Yen in a come-back effort for both fighters, and he could expect to have the hometown crowd on his side.

DARE 2/12: FINAL BOUT AND FULL CARD

The next DARE event in Bangkok, Thailand takes place this coming weekend, Saturday March 17th.  DARE presents itself as a a unique live experience and caters to a small and intimate crowd in a raucous club atmosphere.  While the production value for their stream isn't yet on par with broadcast-oriented promotions, DARE does have an interesting match-making formula which gives the actual bouts entertainment value of their own merit.

DARE showcases everything from local upcoming Thai MMA talents facing each other, to SE Asia martial arts scene stalwarts proving who is top dog, to bringing in overseas hot shots to fight regional ones.  The current card holds a little of all of these things.  And then there's that whole "One million dollars in a cage" tournament tangent.

While seeming to be a small shrimp in a big pot of Thai curry soup, they pack a spicy wallop with brilliant marketing and excellent PR relations.  This harmony of ingredients has made a small Bangkok-based promotion gain a cult-like live following and increasing interest from the international community.  DARE 2/2012, the second event this year following an earlier one that served as a benefit for flood victim relief, features seven fights including the most recently announced fight which is detailed in the press release listed after the card.

DARE 2/2012
Arnaud LePont versus Cris Haja, Welterweight Quarterfinals
Shannon Wiratchai versus Tondamrong Punjabutra, Lightweight Quaterfinals
Shoyidor Jurabekov versus Bruce Loh, Flyweight Opening round
Mark Striegl versus Marko Huusansaari, Lightweight Opening round
Saengchit Parkaiphet versus Will Chope, Featherweight Quarterfinals
Andre Marcolla versus Daniel Kerr, Middleweight Opening round
Alexsandro Machado versus Kristoffer Persson, Welterweight Opening round

Here is the press release for Machado versus Persson:

Our 7 fight lineup is ready for you! :)

The latest addition to the card is an epic battle between a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt, LEKE and a heavy striker and an MMA fighter, LUDAKRIS from Sweden!

RUFF ANNOUNCES 1 MIL RMB PRIZE MONEY, NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

There is breaking news from RUFF in China, just ahead of their third event in Chongqing on March 24th.  RUFF plans to promote five to seven shows throughout the rest of 2012.   At a major event in the beginning of 2013,  seven championship titles will be on the line.  Each champion will receive 1 million RMB.  The winners will be named as "China's National Champions".

While RUFF has a roster featuring some of the best athletes in MMA right now, including recently crowned Legend FC Bantamweight Jumabieke Tuerxun, Ji Xian, Zhang LiPeng, and Wang Guan, it also has ushered in some high-level MMA fighters not of Chinese descent but currently living in China, notably Rodrigo Caporal and Irshaad Sayed.  Whether non-Chinese will be allowed to become a "China National Champion" as sanctioned by the Wushu Administrative Center remains to be declared by the promotion.

RUFF has upped its production level by signing on Mandt Brothers for the creative development of league events, live events and production thereof, and possible reality shows, all serving to raise the awareness and popularity of MMA in China.  They have become the first MMA promotion sanctioned by the Chinese government, and the issuance of nationally-recognized titles will be a testament to their efforts.

The text of the press release follows:

ONE FC PRESS RELEASES: BROADCAST SCHEDULE AND JASON CHAMBERS AS COMMENTATOR

Today ONE Fighting Championship announced the commencement of their broadcast on ESPN Star Sports, as their media partnership launches tomorrow.  The agreement is retroactive to the first event, Champion versus Champion, and will be broken down into 'episodes' of 90 minutes, 60 minutes, and 30 minute highlights respectively.  Therefore, at some point, all of the bouts on the card will be broadcast.

Here is the schedule for the first airing (not all countries may be included):

China: Thursday 22:30 Star Sports
India: Thursday 21:30 Star Sports
Indonesia: Thursday 23:00 Star Sports
Macau: Thursday 23:00 Star Sports
Malaysia: Friday 23:00 Star Sports
Pakistan: Thursday 21:30  Star Sports
Singapore: Thursday 23:00 Star Sports
Taiwan: Friday 00:00 Star Sports
Thailand:Thursday 23:00 Star Sports

Here is the text of the press release:

ESPN STAR Sports Commences Broadcast of ONE Fighting Championship™ on 14 March 2012

13 March 2012 – Singapore: Beginning 14 March 2012, Asia’s largest mixed martial arts (MMA) organization ONE Fighting Championship™ (ONE FC) will air on the region’s biggest sports content provider ESPN STAR Sports. Following the formal announcement of an unprecedented 10-year media partnership, ESPN STAR Sports is the only cable television broadcaster with the exclusive rights to air ONE FC content across Asia.

GODS FC: ASIA'S FIRST MMA LEAGUE

Early at the beginning of 2012, a new MMA promotion was conceived in Asia based on a very interesting concept: the league format.  GODS Fighting Championship was announced as the first promotion in Asia that will feature teams from different countries competing in a professional MMA league.  As the brainchild of new MMA standouts in Asia, Will Chope and Mark Striegl along with Ron Rezek, this promotion has a fantastic approach to developing and showcasing Asian MMA.  GODS FC will serve to provide a much-needed stepping stone for regional MMA fighters with no or small records to gain experience at a professional event - possibly away from their own country - prior to being signed to larger international shows. The dual goal is to increase international awareness of MMA and give amateur and aspiring fighters a realistic shot at turning pro.  Of course, the league aspect will be an outlet for national pride.

SFL PRESS RELEASE: TV DEAL WITH COLORS

COLORS acquires TV rights for Super Fight League
~ Super Fight League kicks off on Sunday, March 11th 2012 in Mumbai ~

Mumbai, March 9th 2012: COLORS collaborates with Raj Kundra and Sanjay Dutt of Super Fight League (SFL); the channel acquires Broadcast rights to telecast Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Having forayed into the sports entertainment genre with Ring Ka King, COLORS now marks its dominance in the alternative sports entertainment genre by adding the Super Fight League to its kitty. The Super Fight League is India's first professionally organized Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighting league that kicks off on Sunday, March 11, 2012 in Mumbai and will be telecasted on COLORS.


Building on the growing interest in alternative and non-cricket sports entertainment, a unique format has been adopted for the Super Fight League. It will involve real freestyle fighting and will be preceded by 45 minutes of live Bollywood-style entertainment from leading stars including Bipasha Basu.

EVOLVE MMA GIVES www.MMA-in-ASIA.com THE 'SEAL OF EXCELLENCE'

When sitting down at the computer to begin the daily scrounge of collecting bits of news items pertaining to the wonderful people that make up the world of MMA in Asia, I noticed my friend Wesley De Souza's Facebook post about an Evolve MMA blog entry.  He thanked Evolve for listing his site, "The Fight Nation", as one of the best Asian MMA websites.  Of course I had to immediately check out the blog - not only because I was curious if www.MMA-in-Asia.com was mentioned - but also because I read everything Wes posts.

Here's the original Evolve MMA entry.  And here's the text:

Stay in touch with the ever-changing world of MMA! For your benefit, our experts have compiled a list of the best MMA websites from around the world for breaking news, cutting-edge analysis, and random cool stuff.  These websites are the leaders in MMA and officially receive the Seal of Excellence from Evolve MMA.  Simply click on the links below and start following the news daily!

Global MMA News:
Sherdog
MMAWeekly
MiddleEasy
MMAFighting

Asian MMA News:
The Fight Nation (Wesley De Souza)
Bloody Elbow (Anton Tabuena)
MMA Mania and Bloody Elbow (James Goyder)
MMA in Asia (Lili T)
MMA Japan (Michael Hackler)
MiddleEasy (Zeus) 

ONE FC 3: OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Enomoto vs Moreira to headline ONE Fighting Championship™: War of the Lions on 31 March 2012

9 March 2012 – Singapore: Asia’s largest and most prestigious mixed martial arts (MMA) organization ONE Fighting Championship™ (ONE FC), has officially revealed its much anticipated fight card for ONE Fighting Championship™: War of the Lions. Set to take place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on 31 March 2012, the event will be headlined by an explosive match-up between Felipe Enomoto from Japan and Zorobabel Moreira from Brazil. Fresh from a surprising comeback win in his main event fight against Ole Laursen in Jakarta last month, Enomoto will now face Moreira, a fighter who is widely recognized as one of the most promising lightweight fighters in the world.

The ONE FC Network and the partnership with DREAM have put up an impressive line-up of DREAM and DEEP Champions. The card features DREAM superstar and Shooto Champion, Tatsuya Kawajiri, DREAM superstar and DEEP Champion, Masakazu Imanari, and DEEP Champions Yuya Shirai and Yoshiyuki Nakanishi.

Tatsuya Kawajiri is one of the best MMA fighters in Japan today. He cemented his place as a Japanese MMA legend after countless displays of unparalleled determination and relentlessness inside the cage. Kawajiri is set to make his much anticipated ONE FC debut against former King of the Cage Bantamweight Champion Donald Sanchez.   

FRIDAY FIGHT FACTS #16

The AFTER-PARTY

3/3 - PXC 30, GUAM

3/3 - Jewels 18th Ring, JAPAN

!FIGHTING!

3/9 - RINGS Reincarnation, Tokyo, JAPAN

3/10 - War in the Cage 2, Bangkok, THAILAND

3/10 - Sparty Retaliation, Baguio, PHILIPPINES

3/10 - Malaysia FC 4, Selangor, MALAYSIA

3/11 - SFL 1, Mumbai, INDIA

W-L-D

For Immediate Release

W - LEGEND FC: NEW SIGNINGS AND CARD ANNOUNCEMENTS  background on the Legend Fighting Championship new recruits announced for their 8th event in Jakarta: 1 each from China - Wu HaoTian, New Zealand - Daniel Hookerfrom Strike Force, and Philippines - Jazor Aglasi from Team Lakay. the Lightweight division is stacked and the Bantamweight division is a box of lucky charms.

W - SUPER FIGHT LEAGUE PRESS RELEASE: OFFICIALS AND FIGHTS Super Fight League - India hits hard announces Herb Dean (UFC) as head ref, Bill Mahood as lead official, Walt Carvalhoas cut man, and Phil Baroni as color commentator.

W - DARE 2/2012: ANDRE MARCOLLA VS DANIEL KERR another match announced for DARE 2/2012: Andre Marcolla of Chute Boxe with a high level ground game takes on Muay Thai champion Daniel Kerr. they have ten MMA fights between them (ammy and pro) so this should be an exciting fight to watch.