UFC to hold blockbuster card at MOA

MANILA, Philippines - The Ultimate Fight Championship will make a long-awaited encore on Oct. 15 following its smashing debut last year with a blockbuster UFC Fight Night card set at the MOA Arena in Pasay City.

“We are very excited to be back in the Philippines,” said UFC executive vice president and UFC-Asia general manager Kenneth Berger in a statement.

“The consistently warm reception we received from Filipino fans and last year’s sold-out event show us that UFC has an incredibly strong following in the country. Manila is a fighting city and we hope to put on another unforgettable show that will capture the hearts of Filipino sports fans throughout the country,” Berger said.

Although no bouts have been announced for the UFC Fight Pass event, it is expected to be an explosive card similar to the Frankie Edgar-Urijah Faber showdown that headlined UFC Fight Night Manila that drew more than 13,000 fans.

That card also featured Fil-Am Mark Muñoz, who emerged victorious and then retired.

It will also be UFC’s first event in Asia this year after holding sold-out fights in Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Japan and twice in Macau two years ago and Manila, Japan and Seoul, Korea last year.

Bantamweight and flyweight contender John Dodson, who was brought here by Cignal TV, UFC’s official broadcast partner in the country, is expected to be in that card owing to his Filipino lineage.

“I hope I’ll be in that card,” said Dodson, who packs an 18-7 (win-loss) card.

Dodson, an Albuquerque, New Mexico native whose mother is Filipina, is here to promote the UFC Bantamweight Fighter Tour.

UFC Fight Night Manila 2016 is sponsored by Monster Energy, Harley Davidson Asia Pacific, Hudson Shipping Lines, Reebok Philippines, Lazada Philippines and Police Watches and supported by Cignal TV, Hyper Ch. 53, Sports5 and Hyper HD Ch. 130 and TV5.