2 Pinoy MMA fighters test mettle in PXC 24

MANILA, Philippines - Two fast rising local mixed martial arts fighters will share center stage with established foreign stars when the Pacific X-Treme Combat, the top mixed martial arts organization in Guam, makes its Philippine debut tomorrow at the Newport Performing Arts Theater of Resorts World Manila.

Bantamweights Carlos Tiongson and Rogelito Plomeda, whose fighting skills have impressed PXC general manager EJ Calvo, will be ranged against fighters from Guam, one of them a veteran ground fighter making his 10th appearance in the event.

Of the two, Plomeda, a natural boxer armed with powerful striking skills who is also adept at ground fighting, faces the tougher assignment, ranged against Josh “The Hedgehog” Alvarez who has won six of his first nine PXC matches. Plomeda has fought 17 times, winning eight, drawing eight and losing one match in a local MMA outfit.

Tiongson, who has won two of his first three attempts at MMA fighting, takes on Ricky Camp who is making his debut in the 24th edition of the PXC. Like Plomeda, Tiongson has good striking skills but his defensive skills have impressed Calvo the most.

Six other equally exciting bouts complete the card, the first international mixed martial arts competition to be held in the country that will also feature established MMA star Brandon Vera, a Fil-Am fighter who is here to support his fighters, Rolando Perez and Diego Garijo, mainstays of Vera’s Alliance Fight Academy in San Diego, California who are fighting in the undercard.

The main bout in the event presented by San Mig Strong Ice, Smart Communications, Beer Below Zero, Healthway Medical with FHM, Local.ph and 89.1-Real Sports as media partners features Roque “The Champ” Martinez of Guam and Kelvin “The Big Hit” Fitial of Saipan in a super heavyweight title fight.

Martinez and Fitial will clash in five rounds, five minutes per round, while the other fights will be for three rounds of five minutes each.

The fighters will be presented to the public in a press conference at 10 a.m. today (Friday) at the Resort World Manila, with the weigh-in set an hour later.

The stint of Tiongson and Plomeda is part of the vision of

Calvo to develop local fighters who have what it takes to excel in the sport and ultimately compete in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the major league of MMA.

Calvo, who has handled numerous MMA events the past decade featuring fighters who have trained at renowned camps like the Matt Hughes Wrestling Gym in Washington and Vera’s training center in San Diego, assured local fans they are in for a treat, saying: “This event has been around for 10 years. The fights are of international caliber.”

During his recent guest appearance in the PSA Sports Forum,

Calvo noted the rising popularity of MMA fighting in the country, adding it’s high time to develop local fighters who can help the PXC rise to the level being enjoyed here by the professional basketball league.