Dy eyes UFC redemption vs Japanese
The top three Filipino MMA fighters seeing action in the event are, from left, CJ de Tomas, Rolando Dy and Jenel Lausa – strike a pose during the UFC Fight Night press conference in Pasig. ERNIE PEÑAREDONDO
MANILA, Philippines - Filipino Rolando Dy seeks redemption from a disappointing Ultimate Fighting Championship debut as he slugs it out with Japanese Teruto Ishihara in the UFC Fight Night Japan at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on Sept. 22.
The 26-year-old Dy, son of former boxing champion Rolando Navarette, didn’t last long in his first UFC fight, losing to Alex Caceres via TKO Doctor’s Stoppage in the second round of the UFC Fight Night Singapore last June 17.
But Dy, who fell to 8-5-1 (win-loss-draw), 1NC (no contest), toughened up for his upcoming Japan fight, undergoing a two-week training with Team Quest in Thailand.
Ishihara, meanwhile, has split his four UFC outings for a 10-4-2 record.
“If he (Ishihara) is expecting the same fighter who faced Caceres, he is mistaken,” said Dy in yesterday’s press conference at the HID Burgers in Julia Vargas, Pasig.
While the 5-7 Ishihara is the smaller fighter compared to the 5-9 Dy, the former had shown flashes of brilliance after knocking out Horacio Gutierrez in UFC Fight Night last year, netting him the Fight of Night honors.
But Dy remains unfazed.
“He may survive, but he will not win,” said Dy.
In the same presscon, two other Pinoy fighters – Jenel Lausa and CJ de Tomas – have vowed to bounce back from their stinging UFC losses.
After winning his first UFC bout against Chinese Yao Zhikui in UFC Fight Night in Melboure, Australia in November last year, Lausa succumbed to Russian Magomed Bibulatov in UFC 2010 on April 8 in Buffalo, New York.
De Tomas, on the other hand, lost to Japanese Naoki Inoue also last June.
Dy, Lanusa and de Tomas are now handled by W1N.
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