Ground & Pound V: Retribution official weigh-in this afternoon

CEBU, Philippines - The official weigh-in of the Ground & Pound V:Retribution, a kickboxing and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) showdown set at 7 pm tomorrow night at the Cebu Coliseum, will be done this afternoon at the Yaw-Yan ArDigma Cebu Headquarters situated at Room 304 of Villacampa-Capuras building just across the UC-Main Campus along Sanciangko Street, this city.

Heading the list of combatants are Ricardo “D Hammer” Cubillas of Butuan Extreme MMA and Samchai Sip-Renchai of Tenbudo MMA Malaysia who will figure in a three-round MMA superfight under the middleweight division.

“I cannot say what is going to happen, but I will try my best to put up a good fight. I fight because I want to have experience and gain more friends,” said Samchai during the other night’s news conference called on by Yaw-Yan Cebu ArDigma founder and Vis-Min director Master Benigno “Ekin” R. Caniga, Jr.

In the main event of the kickboxing card, Renan “Limbas” Noblefranca of Yaw-Yan ArDigma will clash with Jobert “Da Sniper” Baylin of Cagayan de Oro City’s Wushu Sanshou in what is billed as the battle of the “Pride of the Visayas” against the “Best of Mindanao.”

In the main offering of the MMA action, Ali “The Grappler” Malawi of the Lapu-Lapu City-based Mixed Fighting System will tackle Voltaire “Rough Neck” Gonzales of Tagbilaran City’s Red Dragon MMA under the pinweight class.

The rest of the MMA card features the debuting Johnlery “Ian” Caniga of Yaw-Yan ArDigma Gracie Humaita against John Kevin “Spoiled” Amores of Mandaue’s Bullet Muay Thai (pinweight), Jeff “Labuyo” Malicay of Yaw-Yan ArDigma Cebu versus Gerry “Cat-Ger” Hinampas of Red Dragon MMA (flyweight), Geronimo “Daredevil” Etac of Yaw-Yan Cebu opposite RG “D Master of Gentleness” Sevilleno of CDO’s Mindanao Unified Martial Arts (pinweight), and James “Warrior” Solomon of Yaw-Yan Manila against Filton “Xenox” Inting of Red Dragon MMA (featherweight).

Also seeing action are Jolly “The Sniper” Manalo of Lapu-Lapu’s Yaw-Yan Musang vs. Alan “D Game Plan” Atup of Butuan Extreme MMA (welterweight), Eric “Baki” Areglado of Mixed Fighting System vs. Randy “D Jet” Morres of Butuan (pinweight), Romeo “The Beast” Esfra of Arcomjukai Kickboxing Club vs. Michael “Finisher” Minggeta of Re Dragon (bantamweight), Jecar “Aligator” Vender of Mixed Fighting System vs. Marvin “D White Lion” Camba of MUMA (flyweight), and Jorex “The Viper” Rivera of Soma Kickboxing Club vs. Jonathan “D Storman” Climaco of MUMA (bantamweight).

 Tickets are priced at P100 for the upperbox, P300 for the lowerbox, P500 for the ringside and P1,000 for VIP/Sponsor. For reservations and further information, one may call 255-8919, 255-1405 or 0919-8215582.

 Presented by Yaw-Yan ArDigma Martial Arts Sports Promotions, Inc., the slambang show is sponsored by Tanduay, torturefight.com, and RJS Metal Ads and Prints in association with the Cebu City Sports Commission, K-1 Extreme Sportshop, Ironics Internet Cafe. Yaw-Yan ArDigma-Sacramento, USA, and Fahrenheit Design and Solution. – EBV (THE FREEMAN)