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Preview of Colt 45 URCC XVII "Havoc" First 5

This fight card is packed. We are not just saying this because we want to sell tickets. We are saying this because it is true. As most URCC fans know, our fighters go at each other from the start ‘til the end, trying to take out each other's head or limbs; rarely do we get fights that bore. But, this time, our matchmaker outdid himself. He was able to put up a fight card that is very intriguing, and looking at it, every fight is evenly matched.

If I am a betting man, which I'm not, it will be hard to bet on anyone in this event. But, if you are, we will take a quick glimpse at each fighter's strengths to help you decide.

Here are the first five:

1 Bernard "Hitman" Soriano (Round 1) vs Honorio Banario (Lakay Wushu)

Real Pinoy Fighter contestant Bernard "Hitman" Soriano is back! He has been in the MMA scene for a long time, but fell short to win the RPF tournament and wasn't able to participate in the URCC previously due to personal reasons. After years of fighting in the underground scene, with numerous devastating wins, he has been eager to get back in the ring and show what he has and restart his career. In his previous fights, he has shown improved striking that can give fits to his opponent, this can also be his key to winning his debut fight in the URCC.

Hitman's return may not be easy as he is pitted against a competent striker himself, the swift and accurate boxer in Honorio Banario of Team Lakay Wushu. Banario is not just a one-dimensional striker as he showed not just his heavy-hands, but also his technical wizardry on the ground in his submission win in his debut fight in URCC Baguio 2 "Tribal Wars" last February 19, against veteran Rommel Del-Is. Also, as with his teammates, Banario's gas tank is almost infinite. This can prove crucial in this fight as Soriano is untested in long, grueling fights.

This is a great way to start the evening packed with promising fights.

2 Noel Norada (WAP) vs. Rad Llanasa (WMF Phil.)

This is a classic grappler versus striker match up.
Noel Norada is a well-decorated wrestler from Wrestling Association of the Philippines, the Philippines' official wrestling team. He used to be the wrestling partner of Deftac fighters Regie Amarante and Richard Lasprilla, and they have been a huge factor as to why he is joining the URCC. While he has proven himself on the wrestling mat, he is untested in MMA and must overcome the emotional vacuum that is the URCC ring.

Standing on the other corner, is the already battle-tested boxer from Baguio, Rad Llanasa. We saw him first in action in Rogue's Black Tie Brawl 2009, where he pounded Warren Franco to TKO in the first round. In that fight, we saw Franco controlling the fight with his grappling when he caught Llanasa in an armbar from the guard. This is where it got interesting. Franco cranked Llanasa's arm to a very painful angle and most spectators were cringing already; but Llanasa, unlike the faint-hearted people watching him, showed true grit by enduring the pain and kept on punching Franco. The referee saw enough and stopped the fight.

Will Norada's athleticism get him a win in his debut, or did Llanasa learn from his previous fight and studied wrestling and grappling? Either way, style versus style is still intriguing that we just can't wait to watch.

3 Andrew Benibe (Maic's Gym) vs. Jessie "The Finisher" Rafols (D' Elements Gym)

Andrew Benibe started his career in the Real Pinoy Fighter, much like Bernard Soriano. But, unlike Soriano, Benibe has been facing top competition since then. He has a mixed record, 1 win 2 loss 1 no contest, but that does nat make him any less dangerous and that does not faze him from capturing the title. Coming down in weight from his (no-contest) title fight in URCC XV last November against the Featherweight champ Ali Khatibi, Benibe is going down to Bantamweight and will try his chances on becoming the division's champion.

Benibe will be facing Jessie Rafols, a fighter who shot up in weight class and derailed the smashing train of the upcoming Team Lakay's poster boy, Erwin Focad, last URCC XVI in March. Rafols has shown his improvement in the MMA game and has been on a tear as of late, his only loss, his first fight, came from the Pinweight champion, this event's main eventer Roy Docyogen, two weight classes below his current division.

This will definitely be an exciting match to watch as two URCC superstars duke it out to get the top contender status, as the winner might be in line to Bantamweight champ Justin "The Shocker" Cruz's belt.

4 Reysaldo Transmonte (Muay Thai Makati) vs. Lino "Terminator" Tagacay (Phil. Army Team)

"I'll be back", the famous line of Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movie Terminator, can also be attributed to this returning fighter, URCC's Terminator, Lino Tagacay. Tagacay a long time veteran of the URCC, but has been on shelf for 2 years. He owns some of the most memorable fights in Philippine MMA, 2 loses from the Bantamweight champ Justin Cruz and a win against Japanese fighter Takuro Nishimura to name a few. On his return, he will again try to unleash his heavy hands on his unfortunate opponent.

The unfortunate opponent, though, is no pushover. Tagacay will be faced by a newcomer, but nonetheless a strong Muay fighter in Onyok Transmonte. Transmonte is a Muay Thai professional fighter and holds a 9 wins and 1 loss record. He has a big chance of upsetting the return of Tagacay with his strong, fast kicks and deadly knees from the clinch,

This fight will be explosive right from the get-go. Expect black-and-blues from both fighters after the fight.

5 Jerson Estoro (Elorde MMA) vs. Carl "The Virus" Sabeniano (Hybrid Yaw Yan)

Muay Thai champion and still unbeaten Jerson Estoro has moved up a weight division, from Bantamweight to Featherweight. Estoro will stretch his spectacular wins in a new weight division and will try to establish himself as a top contender in the deepening pool of his chosen division. One can expect devastating strikes from this world-class Muay Thai fighter, and with his improving ground defense, he might be able to notch another bone-shattering win.

But, Estoro's opponent is not someone to be overlooked. His opponent's grappling, specifically his guard game, is phenomenal. Carl "The Virus" Sabeniano can be compared to Shinya Aoki and Nick Diaz, as he was able to apply gogoplata, a chokehold that requires flexibility and attention to details, to Estoro's teammate, Salvador Domasion, in Rogue's Black Tie Brawl 2008. In a Featherweight title fight, also in the same year, he gave the current champ Ali Khatibi some scare, again with his guard game. Sabeniano's knowledge of ground submissions and resilience can be his key to success in this match.

This one promises flashy strikes and submissions from both fighters, enough to leave the spectators in ooh and ahh.