Pinoys duel for PXC-51 crown at Solaire Resort

MANILA, Philippines – Filipinos Crisanto Pitpitunge and Jinel Lausa clash for the vacant flyweight title while Guam’s Kyle Aguon stakes his bantamweight title against Korean Top Team’s Kwan Ho Kwak in PXC-51 at the Solaire Resort and Casino tomorrow night.

The two bouts headline an explosive fight card that also features Filipina fighter Gina Iniong, who will go up against Spain’s Vanessa Fernandez in an atomweight class and Laban MMA alumnus Jon Cris Corton, who will tangle with Uzbekistan’s Farmon Gafarov.

“We are elevating the quality and status of PXC with international professionals in the ring at a world-class venue,” said EJ Calvo in yesterday’s PXC-51 press conference at Solaire Theatre.

Pitpitunge, a former PXC title-holder, is out to regain the crown as he mixes it up with former boxer Lausa, who is coming off a sensational knockout win over Ernesto Montilla in PXC 48.

“This is the fight I want. This is what I’ve trained for,” said Pitpitunge, a muay thai artist who trains under the banner of Baguio-based Team Lakay.

“I’m ready,” Lausa said.

The Aguon-Kwak match is also expected to be a thriller with both fighters coming off rousing victories with the former beating Rolando Navarette-Dy at PXC 45 and the latter trouncing Trevin Jones at PXC 47.

Meanwhile, Aguon will have in his corner Ultimate Fight Championship fighter Jon “Super Sayyan” Tuck.

“I will be by his side come fight time,” said Tuck, who started with the PXC before he was tapped by the UFC where he currently has a 3-2 (win-loss) record including a recent first round submission win over Tae Hyun Bang in UFC Fight Night Manila last year.

In other fights, Phl-based Brazilian Wesley Machado clashes with Japan’s Sho Kogane, Nao Yoneda faces off South Korea’s Han Seul Kim, Rolando Dy tackles Miguel Mosquera, Ernie Braca collides with Emilio Urrutia, and Stephen Loman tangles with Rex de Lara.