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Preview of Colt 45 URCC XVII "Havoc" Final 5

The first five was hot, enough to keep the spectators' blood boiling. The final four is enough to wipe out the voices of everyone present, before presenting the piece de resistance of the night, the main event.

6 Igor "Sugarfree" Subora (Strikes Unlimited) vs. Panchito "Sugar Ray" Estrada(Gymplus)

This fight is a battle of monikers. One is having, while the other one is not wanting. We're talking about "sugar".

This fight might be sugarcoated, but sweet it will not be.

Igor "Sugarfree" Subora, from Ukraine, is a hulking heavyweight when compared to Filipinos. He's physique is like taken out of a muscle magazine. He first burst onto the scene last Rogue's Black Tie Brawl 2009. It wasn't his night, as he was stopped in the 1st round via rear naked choke from Pete Brook. Nonetheless, he awed the spectators with his built. Come URCC XVI "Reckoning" last March, this time he was able to redeem himself, as he won against Nicholas Mann via TKO. On his 3rd fight in 9 months, his Sambo and improving strikes will again be tested against a heavy scrapper, and if he wins, he might get a showdown with the current Heavyweight champ, Marcus Valda.

Panchito "Sugar Ray" Estrada is the heavy scrapper in this match. He might not have the Atlas-look, but his punches have the Atlas-strength. A known heavy-hitter, Estrada has been on the losing side of his fights, because his weakness have always been exploited, his wrestling. He had a year to hone this weakness of his and can be the key to landing a punch and win, or this can be his last payday in the URCC.

7 Arie Zarco (Maic's Gym) vs. Eric Kelly ( Yaw Yan Ardigma)

Match # 7 is a fight between an up-and-coming contender and a solid gatekeeper. The contender will be trying to prove he is no flash in the pan and that he is a serious challenger; while the gatekeeper will try to establish that he truly belongs in the upper echelon of the URCC.

The gatekeeper here is the veteran Aden "Tiger" Zarco. A former boxer, with a mediocre record (2wins and 5 loses), Zarco is not faring well also in MMA. With 2wins, 2 losses, and 2 draws in the URCC, one can easily overlook him as a serious fighter. Ask around though, and you will be surprised at what other fighters have to tell about him. He is no push-over. Zarco's punches are like wrecking balls. His 2 wins in his boxing career were by TKO and KO; while his URCC wins might have come from submissions, but he got them while punishing his opponents first with his fists. He even sent a fighter to a hospital because of his punches. With a new team helping him out, he is starting to show renewed versatility. This is now scary to any of his would be opponents.

On the opposite corner is the contender whose name has been perennially circulating in the MMA circuit, Eric Kelly. Kelly has been competing in amateur events and even other pro circuits, and was even supposed to join the Real Pinoy Fighter and was already sending fears amongst the contestants, when suddenly he just bowed out. Now, in the URCC, he is already showing great potentials. His last fight, against newcomer Michael Dan Rubio, had few tense moments when Kelly's hype train almost got derailed. But, he showed grit and resilience to overcome his opponent. A win against the tough Zarco will push him closer to championship level.

8 Regie "Baby Ama" Amarante (DEFTAC) vs. Charry Dela Cruz (D' Elements Gym)

This will surely be a fight for knockout, as these 2 fighters are known to bang it out and forget the other aspects of the game.

Charry Dela Cruz, a Muay Thai practitioner, has been away for almost 4 years now. Before his absence, he racked a record of 0 win and 2 loses, for his fights in URCC 8 & 9. Much has changed in the MMA landscape since then, and if Dela Cruz hasn't improved his overall MMA skills and game plan, his comeback might be a painful reality check.

Regie "Baby Ama" Amarante has always been a fighter, both in and out of the ring. A boxer since he was a little kid in the Dumaguete, he was eventually forced to bad situations where he ended behind bars. After a stint in the jail, he used boxing as a way to positively change his life. He became the coach of Dumaguete boxing, and became the runner-up in the boxing-reality show. As a MMA fighter, he is undefeated in amateur and has a 2-0 record in the URCC. He has shown speed and power in both of his hands, but his wrestling has always been his weakness. He was supposed to fight in URCC XVI "Reckoning", but had to bow out due to broken hand. Now, with his rehabilitated hand, he is poised to return for a knockout.

9 Razi "The Iranian" Jabbari vs. Froilan Sarenas (Philippine Sports Submission)

The co-headliner is a battle of brawn against brain.

The always-game Razi "The Iranian" Jabbari is the brawn here. Jabbari has always been a tough opponent because of his strength and formidable base. We've seen him throw around his opponents like ragdolls, then smile afterwards. What is lacking though is his striking defense. It might be because his unorthodox stance does not give him much defense and lack of movement, that is why most of his loses are due to KO. He has to come in with a new and better game plan and improved defense, so he can use his strengths against his opponent.

The brain here will be the newcomer from Submission Sports Philippines, Froilan Sarenas. Not much can be said about his MMA, because his MMA fights were way back in 2006. But, what he lacks in MMA competition, he made up for his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. A known competitor in the grappling circuit, Sarenas has racked medals upon medals in various BJJ and submission grappling tournaments. Being with one of the most prolific team in the Philippines, he is being trained by MMA and striking wiz to compliment his grappling skills. With what we've seen before, Sarenas must use his brain to be able to notch a win against Jabbari and make his mark in the URCC; because failure to do so might mean heartbreak.

10 Jordan "Jungle Boy" Ogo (Team Haga T) vs. Roy "Punisher" Docyogen (Team Lakay)

Our main event is very intriguing, not just because we do not know much about our foreign fighter, but because this is the first time our longest champ going to defend his title against a foreigner.

Defending your title is one thing; but defending your title against a foreigner in front of your countrymen is another. It can give you boost, or it can scare the hell out of you.

Pinweight champion Roy "Punisher" Docyogen's heart and skills cannot be questioned anymore. He has shown time and time again why he is the longest champion in the Philippine history. That does not mean we do not need to test him anymore. Known as a comeback kid (he almost lost to an armbar and a TKO), Docyogen must be prepared for an opponent who promised nothing but the best.

Jordan Ogo is an unknown fighter to Filipinos, yet beloved in his country, Saipan, mostly because he is not the usual person who carries around a mobile phone. Tagged as "Jungle Boy", he ignores most technology because he does not need them in the farm. Relatively new to the game (he just started training and fighting 3 years ago, whereas his opponent has been a champ for 4 years already), Ogo is no slouch, as he was able to stop all of his 3 opponents. Spectators should expect the unexpected from this fighter, because he promised he'll just go in and take the belt from the champ.