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Tag: MMA

  • Filipino star Carlo Bumina-ang credits basketball for teamwork and discipline in MMA

    Filipino star Carlo Bumina-ang credits basketball for teamwork and discipline in MMA

    Carlo Bumina-ang has firmly cemented his reputation as one of the Philippines’ brightest Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) talents, competing at the highest level in ONE Championship and representing the country on the international stage. Known for his aggressive striking, relentless work rate, and resilience inside the cage, the 31-year-old fighter has become one of the most exciting Filipino prospects in the sport today.

     

    Bumina-ang is set to make his return to the ONE Championship cage on Friday, January 23, at ONE Fight Night 39: Rambolek vs. Dayakaev, where he will face undefeated Marcos Aurelio in a bantamweight bout. The matchup presents both a challenge and an opportunity for the Filipino star, who is eager to rebound and regain momentum in his professional career.

     

    The fight comes after a disappointing setback for Bumina-ang at ONE Fight Night 37: Kryklia vs. Agdeve on November 8, when he suffered a second-round submission loss to Russia’s Elbek Alyshov. The defeat was a rare stumble in his otherwise promising career, dropping his professional record to 8-2. Now, he is determined to put that loss behind him and reassert himself among the sport’s elite.

     

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    Before MMA became his calling, Bumina-ang, like many young Filipinos, grew up passionate about basketball. Hailing from Baguio City, he spent much of his youth playing the sport with classmates and friends in every open court he could find.

     

    “When I was in high school, that’s all I played with my classmates and friends. After class, we would head straight to any open court and play until we dropped. Those days were fun; it was a great experience. At one point, it was the only thing I was really passionate about,” Bumina-ang recalled in a media interaction.

    Growing up in the early 2000s, he idolized NBA stars, particularly Hall of Famer Allen Iverson. Though not the tallest player on the court, Bumina-ang made up for it with his athleticism and fearless style of play.

     

    “I wanted to imitate Iverson. I loved how he played, his swagger, and just how he carried himself. I played the forward position. I wasn’t the tallest, but I was athletic. I loved banging bodies and just driving into the lane,” he said.

     

    While MMA is markedly different from basketball and thrives on individual performance, Bumina-ang credits the sport with teaching him fundamental traits that still resonate in his fight career.

     

    “Basketball training actually has some similarities with MMA training. We did a lot of sprinting, which I still do a lot now. When I played, I loved receiving passes on a fast break, so running came naturally to me.


    “Sportsmanship is the biggest lesson I got from basketball. In Team Lakay, we train as a team, and we win and lose as a group, just like in basketball. Teamwork is something I got from basketball that I still apply in MMA,” he explained.

     

    As Bumina-ang prepares for his bantamweight clash with Aurelio, the stakes could not be higher. A win would reaffirm his position as one of the Philippines’ top MMA exports and keep him in contention in the highly competitive division. Conversely, a loss would force him to recalibrate and work even harder to maintain his standing among the sport’s elite.

     

    With his combination of experience, aggressive striking, and steely determination forged through adversity, Carlo Bumina-ang is poised to make this bout a defining moment in his career. Filipino fight fans will be watching closely, hoping their star can turn the page and reclaim his winning momentum on the international stage.

     

     

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  • Filipino MMA star Drex Zamboanga ready for BRAVE CF debut after injury layoff

    Filipino MMA star Drex Zamboanga ready for BRAVE CF debut after injury layoff

    Filipino Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) standout Drex “T-Rex” Zamboanga is finally set to make his long-awaited debut for BRAVE Combat Federation, more than a year after signing a multi-bout contract with the Bahrain-based promotion. His arrival has been anticipated by fans and analysts alike, as Zamboanga is considered one of the most accomplished MMA fighters to emerge from the Philippines in recent years.

     

    Zamboanga initially inked his deal in 2025 and was scheduled to compete in May of that year against Ramazan Gitinow in a lightweight bout. However, just a week out from the matchup, the 32-year-old was forced to withdraw after suffering a lateral collateral ligament (LCL) injury that required immediate medical attention.

     

    The setback not only postponed his BRAVE CF debut but also pushed the Filipino fighter into a lengthy recovery process. Zamboanga underwent months of intensive physical therapy and rehabilitation, focusing on strengthening the affected knee and rebuilding stability. The journey back was demanding, but the veteran competitor stayed disciplined and patient throughout the process.

     

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    Now medically cleared and back to full-contact training, Zamboanga says he is more motivated than ever to step into the BRAVE CF cage and resume his career at the highest level.

    “I have been away long enough, and I am hungry to compete again. I signed with BRAVE CF to fight, and I want to maximize this contract. My body feels great now. The rehab was tough, but it worked. I am healthy, I am training at full intensity again, and I am starting to feel my groove come back every day,” Zamboanga said in a media interaction.

     

    Before joining BRAVE CF, Zamboanga built a formidable résumé in the Philippines’ premier MMA organization, the Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC). Known for his explosive striking and relentless pressure, he captured the vacant bantamweight championship in 2017 by finishing countryman Rex De Lara via technical knockout. He cemented his status as one of URCC’s elite fighters two years later, successfully defending the title with a doctor’s stoppage victory against South Korea’s Seung Hyun Cho.

     

    With a professional record of 14 wins and 6 losses, including 11 finishes, Zamboanga has earned a reputation as a dynamic and dangerous competitor capable of ending fights in multiple ways. His new chapter in BRAVE CF represents not only an opportunity to compete internationally but also a chance to re-establish his presence in the global MMA scene.

     

    “This feels like a fresh start for me. I want to stay active, perform well, and rebuild momentum in 2026. BRAVE CF gives me the chance to reset, to prove myself again, and to rekindle my career in 2026. I believe my best performances are still ahead of me,” he added.

     

    With renewed health, a rejuvenated mindset, and an organization eager to showcase his talents, Zamboanga’s long-delayed debut is shaping up to be one of the most compelling storylines for Philippine MMA in 2026. As he prepares to finally enter the BRAVE CF cage, expectations are high that the fighter known as “T-Rex” will once again roar back into contention and remind the world why he has long been considered one of the Philippines’ top MMA athletes.

     

     

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  • Carlo Bumina-ang aims for career comeback against Marcos Aurelio at ONE Fight Night 39

    Carlo Bumina-ang aims for career comeback against Marcos Aurelio at ONE Fight Night 39

    Carlo Bumina-ang has firmly established himself as one of the Philippines’ top Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) talents, currently competing in ONE Championship and representing the country on the international stage. The 31-year-old fighter has built a reputation for his aggressive striking, relentless work rate, and resilience inside the cage, making him one of the most exciting Filipino prospects in the sport today.

     

    Bumina-ang is set to return to the ONE Championship cage on Friday, January 23, at ONE Fight Night 39: Rambolek vs. Dayakaev, where he will face undefeated Marcos Aurelio in a bantamweight clash. The bout presents both a challenge and an opportunity for the Filipino star, who is eager to rebound and regain momentum in his professional career.

     

    The fight comes on the heels of a disappointing setback for Bumina-ang at ONE Fight Night 37: Kryklia vs. Agdeve on November 8, when he suffered a second-round submission loss to Russia’s Elbek Alyshov. The defeat marked a rare stumble in his otherwise promising career, dropping his professional record to 8-2. Reflecting on the loss, Bumina-ang admitted that body shots disrupted his rhythm and ultimately contributed to the outcome.

     

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    “In the first round, the momentum was mine. But he snuck in some slick body shots on me. Those knees to the body took their toll, and I felt it weighing down on me as the fight progressed. Once I sat on the stool after the first round, my knees felt stiff. I tried to tough it out in the second round but couldn’t,” he said in a media interaction.

    Despite the setback, Bumina-ang remains focused and motivated, fully aware that his upcoming bout against Aurelio will be a stern test. The Brazilian fighter enters the contest with a perfect 8-0 record, bringing a reputation as a skilled Muay Thai specialist with strong counterstriking and pressure-fighting abilities. Bumina-ang, however, believes that Aurelio’s style could play into his hands.

     

    “His ground game is good, but he is more of a Muay Thai specialist. He is a good counterstriker and pressure fighter as well. It plays to my style, actually, because I prefer aggressive opponents. He is a striker, but I won’t underestimate him on the ground. I need to be wary because I believe he will try to test my grappling. My two losses were by submission, so he will probably think he can take me there. But I will prove him wrong if he tries.

     

    “I feel like my back is against the wall since I now have two losses in ONE. My mentality right now is simply kill or get killed. He will probably be fired up because he is making his debut, and he wants to keep his undefeated record. But I respect him. He is a well-rounded opponent, and I’m excited to face him,” he added.

     

    Bumina-ang’s mindset reflects a fighter who has learned from adversity. His willingness to analyze his losses, understand his weaknesses, and adapt his strategy demonstrates the maturity of a veteran athlete in one of the world’s most competitive MMA promotions. Fans can expect a focused and highly motivated fighter when he steps into the cage, ready to prove that setbacks do not define his career.

     

    As Carlo Bumina-ang prepares to face Marcos Aurelio, the stakes could not be higher. A win would reaffirm his status as one of the Philippines’ top MMA exports and keep him in contention in the bantamweight division, while a loss would force him to recalibrate and work even harder to stay among the sport’s elite. With a combination of experience, aggressive striking, and a steely determination forged through adversity, Bumina-ang is poised to make this bout a defining moment in his career. Filipino fight fans will be watching closely, hoping that their star can turn the page and reclaim his winning momentum on the global stage.

     

     

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  • Stephen Loman ready for 2026 comeback after re-signing with BRAVE CF

    Stephen Loman ready for 2026 comeback after re-signing with BRAVE CF

    Stephen Loman has firmly established himself as one of the Philippines’ top Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighters, earning recognition in both ONE Championship and the BRAVE Combat Federation.

     

    The 26-year-old fighter, who first rose to prominence with BRAVE CF, closed out 2025 on a high note by re-signing with the organization where he made his name. The return has Loman eager to get back to the sport he loves.

     

    “I am truly excited for 2026 because it guarantees that I will finally be back doing what I love. This opportunity gives me something to look forward to every single day,” Loman said in a media interaction.

     

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    Loman’s 2025 ended even more memorably on a personal front, as he married longtime partner Sheryl in an intimate ceremony in Baguio City on December 20. A honeymoon will have to wait, however, as Loman immediately returned to training at the Landslide Martial Arts Training Center to focus on his career.

    “I am thankful that I got to end 2025 on such a hopeful note. After everything I went through, this feels like a blessing I will always cherish. My wife understands the demands of my career, and I am grateful for her support. She has been very patient and encouraging, and that means everything to me,” he added.

     

    Loman also holds the distinction of being the first Filipino fighter to win a world championship title in BRAVE CF and is the longest-reigning bantamweight world champion in the promotion’s history.

     

    Looking ahead, Loman is determined to reclaim his position at the top of the bantamweight division and prove that he still has what it takes to compete at the highest level.

     

    “I am so eager to maximize every opportunity in 2026. I am ready to work, to compete, and to show that I still belong at the top,” he concluded.

     

    With his focus, determination, and a renewed contract with BRAVE CF, 2026 promises to be a defining year for Stephen Loman. Fans can expect a fighter at the peak of his skills, ready to reclaim his throne and continue building his legacy as one of the Philippines’ MMA greats.

     

     

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