MANILA, Philippines - Mark Muñoz, the upcoming Fil-Am mixed martial arts star, will be in town this weekend.
The 33-year-old Muñoz, who is being lined up to face reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight titlist Anderson “The Spider” Silva, is scheduled to plane in tomorrow morning to grace the Pacific X-Treme Combat 29 at the Ynares Arena in Pasig City Saturday night.
Muñoz, who was supposed to fight No. 1 middleweight Chael Sonnen but got injured in training and replaced by Michael Bisping, will actually be in the corner of protégé Raja Shippen, who is set to fight Fil-Am Harris Sarmiento in a non-titled, 145-pound class.
“He will be in the corner of Raja Shippen on fight night, which will be exciting considering that he’s one of the best middleweight fighters in the world right now,” said PXC CEO and promoter EJ Calvo in yesterday’s press launch of PXC 29 at the Max Restaurant in Glorietta 3 in Makati City.
Muñoz will also do a fight seminar and clinic the next day to give fans the chance to know mixed martial arts.
“I’ve been talking to him (Muñoz) a lot and he told me he’d love to hold a bigger seminar for him to reach out to a bigger audience,” said Calvo. “But because of limited time, he’ll have to be contented with the small seminar he’s doing and maybe do the bigger one on his next visit.”
Another UFC middleweight contender, Jason “Mayhem” Miller, was originally picked to visit the country but the PXC decided to bring in Muñoz instead.
“He’s a pure-blooded Filipino and learning that he hasn’t really been in the Philippines surprises me,” said Calvo. “So I guess its exciting for him and everyone particularly his fans if he goes here.”
Meanwhile, fast-rising Ale Cali tries to become the first local-based Philippine X-Treme Combat champion as he clashes with Jesse Taintano of Guam for the vacant flyweight crown in PXC 29.
Cale, nicknamed “The Young Gun” following a pair of impressive victories, including one over another Guamanian Dylan Pablo at PXC 28 last November, hopes to use his lightning-quick hands and feet and his takedown defense as he faces the older and more seasoned Taintano in the main event.
“Expect the same from me with a little improvement in my ground game,” said Cali, a 21-year-old Davao City native who has a mixed martial arts (win-loss) record of 3-1, in Filipino in yesterday’s media launch at the Max’s Restaurant at Glorietta 3 in Makati City.
The match against the 34-year-old Taintano, whose grandfather also hails in the Philippines, serves as Cali’s biggest test in a flourishing PXC career with Taintano boasting of seven MMA wins and two draws while losing eight.
“I’m confident because I know my countrymen are behind me,” said Cali, a self-professed fan of Roy Jones.
Cali is also out to make history.
“I know that if I win this, I’ll be the first champion who lives and trains here in the Philippines,” he said.
Reigning lightweight champion Harris Sarmiento will go down in the lighter weight category as he battles Raja Shippen in the co-main event of the card held in partnership with AKTV on IBC 13 and presented by AKTV and San Mig Strong Ice.
Other scheduled bouts are Victor Galdon vs Crisanto Pitpitunge (135lbs), Ryan Bigler vs Dorian Price (170), Roy Boughton vs Ilima Maiava (205), Jay Tenorio vs Carlo Astudillo (125), Michael Regalado vs Troy Bantiag (135), Jerry Legaspi vs Glen Ranillo (155) and Eugene Toquero vs Ricky Lucena (129 catch weight).