By CALVIN CORDOVA
CEBU CITY— Slam-bang action marked the return of mixed martial arts (MMA) in Dapitan City with hometown bet Bryl “The Notorious” Osaraga leading the march of the winners in the 2022 Mayor Bullet Jaloslos Amateur MMA Tournament Friday night, July 22, at the Dapitan City Cultural and Sports Complex.
Carrying the colors of the Dipolog’s SG Auto Trading MMA Team, Osaraga scored a second-round technical knockout (TKO) win over Lapu-Lapu’s Mark Gomez in the featured match of the 10-card event serving as one of the highlights leading to the Kinabayo Festival.
It was also part of Revisitamos Dapitan 1892, a much-awaited event that commemorates the 130th anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal’s arrival in Dapitan.
In the co-main event, Jude Jaictin of MCM Ariana MMA stopped Ivan Diputado of Dipolog Top Team at the 1:34 mark of the second round.
In other matches, Art Marquez of Homeboyz MMA chalked up a second-round stoppage against Sanny Allan Mabini of CDO’s Equilibrium Muay Thai Gym, Eduardo Cadavedo of D Gym of D Powers needed just one round to dispose of Archer Aro of Dumaguete’s Burn Room Gym;
Mawe Abang nipped Jover Ruiz, Amay Lacre defeated Shepherd Relon, Ban Alparajo beat Johnpaul Lacre, Dumaguete’s Christian Mark Bughaw defeated Rammel Yacapin, LJ Yasay won over Jomari Ladera, Cagayan de Oro’s Johnwen Fernandez stopped Dipolog’s Albert Doctor.
It was the first time after three years that an MMA card was held in the city.
Sporting events in the city came to a halt due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
With the improved Covid-19 situation, Dapitan’s Tourism Officer Apple Marie Agolong said the city has started reviving its tourism sports activity, including the regular staging of MMA cards.
“We have full of MMA action here. There was even a time that we have to events taking place at the same time in one venue,” said Agolong.(Calvin D. Cordova)
