La Trinindad, Benguet –Team Lakay once again asserted their exceptional fighting skills as the warriors dominated the Strawberry Festival MMA, Team Lakay Championship (TLC) 9 last March 21 at the La Trinidad Municipal Gymnasium. Lakay, winning 8 out of the 10 matches, including the main and co-events.
Leading the local team’s victory is Lakay warrior Stephen Loman. Loman defeated Richard Morales of D’elements Gym Manila with a rear naked choke, won the evening’s main event with a submission and exited the cage in round 1 with a new MMA record of 5 wins and 1 loss.
Loman, along with Jon Chris Corton, also led the smashing success of Team Lakay during the Pacific Xtreme Combat (PXC) Laban MMA last Feb. 28 at the Baguio Convention Center. In his bout with Team King’s Den Jomar Manlangit, Loman finished the match in round 2 and with a rear naked choke victory.
“Mga naunang seniors na naging champion, gusto ko din maging champion”, Loman said as this encourages him to continue on fighting.
Joshua Pacio, also highlighting TLC 9 of Team Lakay, carrying a record of no loss, remains undefeated as he emerged victory after a verbal tap out to Ignacio Galindez of D’ Elements Gym during the 1st round, improving his record to 3 wins.
“50-50 eh, kasi taga Manila sila, kasi pag sinabing Team Lakay talagang itotodo at ibibigay lahat”, when asked if what his expectation as he won the co-main event.
Pacio also fought during the PXC Laban against Sylvester Banguingui of Fights Corps MMA and won via unanimous decision.
Loman and Pacio, both deemed in the saying “train hard, fight easy”.
Estrada Dongga-as opened the fight night with a victory for Team Lakay as he won against Roderick Hilario of Amazing Universal Gym via unanimous decision in round 3, making his record of 2 wins and no loss.Christopher Pira whose making his debut makes his MMA record of 1 win and Lemer Maximino carrying a record of 2 wins and 1 loss of Lakay La Trinidad won their respective matches against Nelson Cuanso of Amazing Universal Gym and Dennis Wacwac of Tribal Submission via unanimous decision in round 3 and referee stoppage due to ground and pound in round 1, in that order.
Aldwin Nicdao of Lakay Central Gym won his first match against Contender Gym fighter Rick Raymundo by unanimous decision in round 3, while Jomar Pa-ac making his debut also won his first match that brought to the rear-end victory of the undercard matches against Mardie Zulita of D’ Elements Gym via referee stoppage due to ground and pound in round 1.
Up and coming Lakay lady fighter Joanne Bognadon won her first MMA match against Charmay Claudio of Kafagway MMA via submission due to rear naked choke in round 1. Bognadon said, “Syempre masaya kasi pinagpraktisan ng maayos at entertaining yung laban.”
Bognadon first engaged in the mixed martial arts last June 2014 and trained for 3 months under Coach Edward Folayang and Coach Jerome Wanawan in preparation for this match.
Rama Wasan of Tribal Submission and Roilo Golez of Highland MMA also won by submission due to guillotine choke in round 2 and unanimous decision in round 3 against Konnery Algen of Lakay La Trinindad and Jerome Labnas of Kafagway MMA, correspondingly.
Team Lakay, now globally considered as a powerhouse of mixed martial fighters, undergoes intensive trainings twice a day under head coach Mark Sangiao.
Sangiao, who motivates his fighters with experiences of his own, is also the founder of Team Lakay, “Sharing them my experience, siguro sa tagal ko ng fighter nakikita ko yung kulang sa kanila tapos yun, sinasabi ko tulad ng pag kulang sa grapplings, kung sa mga specific madali mong kukunin sa ganitong technique kailangan pag aralan natin kung paano mo idefence”, Sangiao said.
Building the martial arts group with the core foundation that “Champions are not born, they are made”, an adage that Sangiao uphold.
