Official Website of Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council
NEWS & EVENTS
Bruneian loses bantamweight match
Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Mohd Sarifuddin Abdul Rahim
(C) posing with his coaches
Mohd Younis Asmad (L) and Hj
Ismadey Hj Husin. Mohd
Sarifuddin was knocked out
by bantam weight division
fighter John Vic Albano at
the Universal Reality Combat
Championship-Academy Fighting
Championship 7 (URCC-AFC 7)
in the Philippines on Sunday.
Picture: BT file

Mohd Sarifuddin Abdul Rahim was knocked out by bantam weight division fighter John Vic Albano at the Universal Reality Combat Championship-Academy Fighting Championship 7 (URCC-AFC 7) in the Philippines on Sunday.

Fighting under ADN MMA Fitness Gym's banner, Mohd Sarifuddin was supposed to go up against Daryl Santilices in the flyweight division at the Pacita Astrodome in San Pedro Laguna, but the latter pulled out of the fight at the last minute to give way for Albano.

"It was just not my day the best fighter won," said Mohd Sarifuddin in a phone interview with The Brunei Times yesterday.

"I thought I was going to fight Daryl but he pulled out at the last minute and I got to fight the bantam weight fighter Albano.

"It ruined the whole game plan as he (Albano) is bigger than me.

"He is a good ground game fighter and I tried my best to avoid fighting him on the ground, but he got me in the second round," added Mohd Sarifuddin.

Unwilling to take his opponent and his dangerous submission-game to the ground, the 24-year-old tried to stand and rely on his striking prowess. He was treated to a series of take downs before surrendering to a guillotine choke in the second round.

The main event of the night saw MMA fighter JR Rulloda defeat Solomon Dultra in the pinweight division.

Mohd Sarifuddin earned the chance to fight Albano after he knocked out Filipino fighter Mark Apac in the second round in the lightweight category qualifiers held in Manila on July 27 after finishing the fight with a ground and pound.

"There are a lot of learning points from the fight and the most important thing is Dean (Mohd Sarifuddin) fought hard and got away unhurt with no bruises, so we are still confident with his abilities," said Mohd Sarifuddin's coach Mohd Nate Younis Ahmad.

"The fight highlighted some areas we already knew we needed to work on. I am sure with this experience Dean will be motivated to work and train harder," he added.

Supervised by the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) the government agency that sanctions games such as billiards, boxing and basketball URCC was founded in 2002 and is the first professional mixed martial arts event based in the Philippines.

A number of URCC fighters have gone on to enjoy success fighting for mainstream MMA promotions such as UFC.

Courtesy from Brunei Times