URCC to debut 'slap rap battle' in Rage card

MANILA, Philippines – The Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC) returns with its URCC 84: Rage card on April 25 that will showcase two mixed martial bouts, along with the first-ever “slap rap battle”, at the Xylo at the Palace in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. 

URCC founder and president Alvin Aguilar said the main event will be an MMA flyweight fight between jiu-jitsu black belters Eros Baluyot (1-0) and Elouie Federic (EF) Sevilla (5-3).

“We have these two of the best [jiu-jitsu] black belters in the Philippines going with each other and I really can’t wait for the April 25,” Aguilar said. “We’ll also be hosting the first-ever ‘slap rap battle’ — the first of its kind. We have a lot of innovative things we’d like to introduce here in URCC.”

Unlike the respect showed by main event fighters Baluyot and Sevilla to each other, Arvin “Sharpshooter” Chan and Costa Rican fighter Mariano “The Hitman” Jones — protagonists of the co-main event — had traded verbal jabs. 

The 33-year-old Chan (8-9) even went outside Xylo to confront and slap the 26-year-old Jones (1-0), drawing drew the attention of fans and adding fuel to their upcoming bout in the even supported Philippines Nuebe Gaming and Vietnamese Highlands Coffee. 

“We want to see how the saga of Arvin Chan and Mariano Jones comes to end,” Aguilar added. 

Aside from the two main event bouts, a lone women strawweight match-up between Jomary Torres (4-5) and undefeated Mariane Mariano (2-0) will take place.

For ticket inquiries, visit www.urcc.online or download the official URCC app, which is available for iOS and Google.

In the preliminary bouts, Rex De Lara (10-8) battles John Carranza (1-0) in the featherweight class; Rhino Casipe (0-0) meets Kervin Lampacan (0-0) in the flyweight category; and Marvin Dela Cruz (0-1) clashes with Denzel Dimaguila (1-2) in a flyweight bout.

In amateur bouts, Nigerian Emmanuel Epkeusi (4-3) squares off with Indian Mohammed Aslam (10-0) at welterweight, and Jan Ilarde (2-0) collides against AJ Castellano (2-0) in heavyweight category. 

Meanwhile, Ronmar A. Tubig (South Piezze) meets Joneil Deo Destreza (Sirdeo) in a “slap rap battle” while John Kenneth Reyes (Cloza Mafia) faces Daniel Ray Wiggins (Taz Wiggins).

Details of the fight and future fight cards are also available in the URCC website and its official app.

Meanwhile, for more information about chief sponsors Nuebe Gaming and Highlands Coffee, visit https://nuebegaming.ph/ and https://www.highlandscoffee.com.ph/.