In this corner, meet Alexander ‘The Mauler’ Gustafsson

Balls Channel, home of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in the Philippines, thrilled the local mixed martial arts scene once again as they flew in the UFC’s top light heavyweight contender, Alexander “The Mauler” Gustafsson, last week.

At a time when the popularity of MMA (mixed martial arts) is on a meteoric rise around the world, Balls Channel recognizes the growth of the sport as highly evident, particularly in the Philippines.

It continues to bring in the best fighters of the UFC to the country to constantly take MMA to new heights, with the likes of Brandon Vera, Chuck Liddell, Georges St. Pierre, BJ Penn, and Mark Muñoz having paid visits to encourage involvement in the realm of mixed martial arts.

With the arrival of Swedish mixed martial artist Alexander “The Mauler” Gustafsson, Balls Channel continued this tradition, bringing this promising fighter to Philippine shores.

Mark Fischer, managing director of UFC Asia, says of “The Mauler’s” visit, “We would like to thank our longstanding partners at ABS-CBN and the Balls Channel for organizing this event.  The UFC prides itself on offering unique fan access to our stars and the Alex Gustafsson tour of Manila is no exception. The Philippines is one of the our top markets in the world today in terms of UFC fan following and passion for our sport, so we are delighted to have the opportunity to bring top fighters like Alex who personify the best of the UFC, here to the Philippines on a regular basis.”

Gustafsson started his tour last Nov. 8. First, he met the local media and then he had a clinic with MMA enthusiasts the following day at Sky Fitness at The Podium and at Fit Box Techno Gym in Makati, before he showcased his fight training and workout to the public Sunday afternoon at the TriNoma Activity Center.

Alexander was blown away by the reception he got from the local fans, and he even mentioned he would be happy to headline a UFC card in Manila in the near future.

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E-mail me at Anthony@realsports.com.ph. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @anthonysuntay.