This year marks a historical event in Philippine mixed martial arts (MMA) history, as Southeast Asia’s first and largest MMA promotion URCC (Universal Reality Combat Championship) officially announces its partnership with ABS-CBN, the Philippines’ leading media and entertainment company.
URCC founder Alvin Aguilar alongside Skycable COO and ABS-CBN Narrowcast head March Ventosa, and ABS-CBN head for Integrated Sports Dino Laurena formalized the partnership on April 1 in the presence of MMA Heroes including Red Romero, CJ De Tomas, Hideo Morikawa, Carlo Laurel, Alvin Ramirez, Chris Hofmann, Caloy Baduria and more, in a press conference at Wingman Acacia Estates, Taguig City.
As the official broadcast partner, ABS-CBN Sports + Action and ABS-CBN Sports + Action HD Ch166 will broadcast URCC events, starting with the URCC 27: Rebellion fight card on April 23.
The URCC has been giving Filipino fight fans nothing but the best in Pinoy MMA action for 14 years as the pioneer in MMA promotion in the region. ABS-CBN Integrated Sports, on the other hand, is the sports division of ABS-CBN that is dedicated to bring sports closer to Filipinos, seeing its power to inspire greatness, excellence, and nationalism in people.
With the joining of forces of two formidable organizations in Philippines sports, the future of MMA in the Philippines is definitely brighter than ever.
“With the partnership with the network it allows us now to promote the fighters, the league, the event, a lot more on our channel and different programs. Our objective is really to continue to promote the URCC, make this the biggest MMA league not just in the Philippines…and to continue to allow this platform, this league, the opportunity for fighters develop, to come in, and even compete internationally,” said Ventosa in the presscon.
ABS-CBN Sports + Action and ABS-CBN Sports + Action HD are under the ABS-CBN Integrated Sports division of ABS-CBN, the country’s leading media and entertainment company. For more information about ABS-CBN Sports visit sports.abs-cbn.com and follow ABS-CBN Sports’ official Facebook and Twitter accounts, @abscbnsports. For more information on URCC and its events, visit www.facebook.com/urccmma.ph/.
