CEBU, Philippines — Cebuano mixed martial arts standout Roel ‘Akiyama’ Rosauro of Yaw-Yan ArDigma Cebu finally gets his long-awaited break as he battles Li Kai Wen of China on the undercard of the ‘ONE Championship:Quest for Gold’ fight card on February 23 at the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar.
“I have waited for this opportunity for so long. This is a dream come true for me to fight in a big stage,” said the 28-year-old Rosauro. “I will fight not only for myself but also for the pride of my country.”
The veteran striker is the fifth Cebuano to showcase his skills in Asia's biggest MMA organization, following in the footsteps of Carry Bullos, Vaughn Donayre, Eugene Toquero and Jimmy Yabo.
Rosauro, one of the most promising MMA fighters in Cebu, seeks to improve his 5-2 win-loss record but will be dealing with a very dangerous opponent in Li.
The Chinese warrior is expected to capitalize on his experience as he has already fought some of top contenders in the featherweight division including defending champion Martin Nguyen of Australia, which he lost via TKO two years ago.
“This is a tough task for Aki, but I have faith in him. He has the heart and that has always been his upside as a fighter,” said Yaw-Yan ArDigma Cebu head Master Benigno ‘Ekin’ Caniga, Jr.
“Hopefully this is the start. It has always been my dream of producing Cebuano fighters that will represent the country in international MMA tournaments like ONE Championship and UFC,” added Master Ekin.
The main event of the slambang card features Myanmar's Aung La N Sang, who will vie for the ONE Championship light heavyweight title against Brazilian Alexandre Machado. (FREEMAN)