The father of Cebu’s Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Master Benigno “Ekin” Caniga Jr. of the famed Yaw-Yan ArDigma Martial Arts Federation will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame during the 3rd Philippine Martial Arts awards later this year.
Caniga Jr. will be one of three Cebuanos who will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame. The others are founder of the Doce Pares Eskrima Club Grand Master (GM) Ciriaco “Cacoy” Cañete and Doce Pares Eskrima Club Operations Manager GM Chuck Cañete.
The awarding ceremony will be held later this year in Baguio City.
The Hall of Fame award is given to outstanding martial arts personalities for their contributions to the sport and community.
Caniga has been an active MMA promoter for the past decade and has already produced elite MMA and kick-boxing fighters in his famed Yaw-Yan ArDigma gym in Cebu City.
Caniga will be one of the 10 awardees for this year. There are already 30 Hall of Fame recipients in the prestigious awards that was initiated by Punong Lakan Garytoni Nicolas, the executive director of the Philippine Martial Arts Hall of Fame awards.
“”Dako kaayo ni nako nga kalipay kay sa kadaghan ug mga deserving pud ma awardan, ako ang usa sa ilang napili. Tanan nakong paningkamot sa pila ka tuig naa na jud intawn grasya naabot. Wala ko sayangi sa tanan sakripisyo ug kahago nako para sa martial arts” (I am very happy because among all who are deserving of this award, I was one of those chosen. All my hard work throughout the years paid off. I do not regret all the sacrifices and effort I put for the sake of martial arts), Caniga said.
His mentor GM Napoleon Fernandez, the founder of Yaw-Yan Fervillion, was the first to be awarded. He also received a lifetime achievement award from the governing body of Philippine Martial Arts .
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