URCC offers 4 MMA title fights at ‘Rebellion’ event in April

MANILA, Philippines – Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC) is opening its 2016 calendar with a bang by booking 4 championship bouts for its 27th major event dubbed “Rebellion” on April 23 at the Marriott Grand Ballroom in Parañaque City.

The fight card is headlined by URCC mainstay Reydon “Red” Romero, who defends the organization’s featherweight belt for the second time against South Korea’s Do Gyeom Lee.

Romero (9-5) captured the URCC featherweight title in November 2013 when he submitted fellow Filipino fighter Ricardo Sapno with a third-round rear-naked choke and then successfully defended the title against Malaysia’s Jian Kai Chee via second-round knockout in July 2015.

In the other corner, Lee (1-1) made his first URCC appearance in July 2015 and pulled off a brutal second-round stoppage of Pinoy stalwart Drex Zamboanga.

Meanwhile, CJ De Tomas aims to dethrone Japanese combatant Hideo Morikawa for the URCCflyweight championship.

De Tomas is undefeated in 5 professional outings, while Morikawa (8-3) seeks to remain as the flyweight kingpin at the expense of the 19-year-old Filipino.

Aside from the aforementioned title tilts, two vacant URCC championships are also up for grabs atURCC 27: Rebellion.

Philippine-based American Will Chope (29-9) makes his URCC return versus Richie Redman (2-4) for the available lightweight strap, while veteran Caloy Baduria (9-4-1) battles Swiss standout Chris Hofmann (2-1) for the vacant light heavyweight title.

In other matches, Eddie Estrada (2-0) locks horns with Cavite’s local talent Fritz Biagtan (2-0) in a scheduled 3-round pinweight encounter.

Former URCC bantamweight titleholder Andrew Benibe (6-8) squares off with Drex Zamboanga (4-2), while Carlo Laurel (3-3) takes on Alvin Ramirez (7-7) in a flyweight grudge match.

On the other hand, Jericho Tomagan faces heavy-handed striker Jet Hermida in a welterweight showdown.

Solomon Dultra (1-0) meets newcomer Jojo Tabang in the curtain-raiser contest of URCC27: Rebellion. – Rappler.com