Master Ekin revives Cebu Fighting Championships

CEBU, Philippines — After an eight-year hiatus, Cebuano mixed martial arts patron Master Benigno “Ekin” Caniga Jr. is bringing back the Cebu Fighting Championships (CFC) with a slam-bang MMA show dubbed “Kumbati Na!Return of the Warriors” on September 5 at the Barangay Day-as Multi-Purpose Complex along Imus Road in Cebu City. Action starts at 7 p.m.

In the double main event, Renan “Limbas” Noblefranca of Yaw-Yan Ardigma Cebu will clash with Jhan Villegas of the Dumaguete City-based South Bag Boxing Gym in a kickboxing bout while Owen Fabular of GR8/PMG Dumaguete will tackle Jance Clarc Dion Barbaso of Cagayan de Oro City’s Equilibrium Fitness Center in a semi-pro MMA match.

The co-main event pits Zen Pacible of Mandaue City’s Project X Fight Team against Trister Yasay of CDO and Alex Mabaquiao Jr. of Talisay City’s Saint Warriors/Jiboia BJJ Philippines versus Div Boja of Tiger Muay Thai Bohol

Fully supported by the Barangay Day-As Council headed by Barangay Captain Captain Freddie Esmas, the comeback marks Caniga’s first major fight card since the global pandemic.

His latest effort to reignite Cebu’s MMA scene features 10 amateur MMA fights, five kickboxing bouts and five Muay Thai matches, with several Team Cebu City athletes also seeing action.

“Nadasig ko og paduwa og balik kay mingaw na sad ang MMA sa Cebu,” said Caniga, a pioneering MMA and kickboxing promoter in Cebu who previously organized CFC, “Ground and Pound”, and the “Cebu Extreme Fight League” professional MMA series.

“Dako ni nga sugal para nako kay mao pa pagbalik nako para mabalik ang MMA sa Cebu. Nindot gyud ang lineup ani nga fight,” the CEO of the YawYan ArDigma Martial Arts Federation added.

Caniga, who is also the head coach of Cebu City Muay Thai and kickboxing teams, hopes the CFC revival will be the first step toward bringing more regular MMA events back to Cebu.

Tickets are priced  at P500 for the lower box and P1,000 for the ringside. — (FREEMAN)