CEBUANO mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Arnel “Project X” Ylanan of Deftac Vagabond Cebu plans to use his grappling skills when he fights YawYan Olonggapo’s Rommel “Axe” Lugo in the flyweight match of the Cebu Extreme Fight League 2: No Way Out MMA fightcard at the Cebu Coliseum on Saturday.
The Ylanan-Lugo showdown will be the supporting main event for the action-packed MMA card promoted by MMA patron Master Benigno “Ekin” Caniga Jr. in partnership with boxing patron Joeric Calisang of Team Joeric Boxing.
Ylanan, who has been preparing for this fight for months now, has good credentials when it comes to grappling as he is a 2015 Pan Asians BJJ and 2016 Dumau Asian Open gold medalist. And he is looking to use this advantage against Lugo.
“He (Lugo) is good in standup (fighting) so I am planning to take the fight to the ground,” said Ylanan, who is now in his final stages of training at the Vagabond MMA Studio. “But having an advantage in grappling doesn’t mean that I can’t fight him toe-to-toe.”
Ylanan is also sharpening his kickboxing skills to add to his arsenal against Lugo, who is mainly known for his lethal striking skills inside the ring.
The main event will feature Cebu’s Roel “Akiyama” Rosauro of YawYan ArDigma Cebu taking on Urtich “Tank” Allarin of XFC Butuan. In another featured bout, Nino Rio “Pitbull” Saoy of Mactan Combat Sports will slug it out with Lugo’s teammate Ivan Victorio.