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| Alvin utilizing his array of kicks to ward off a charging Morikawa. |
While one bout shone light to the brightness of a scene
geared towards evolution, another provided a distant reminder of how it was
done during its inception.
The young guns displayed hunger and determination. Their
skills matched with youth and the drive to be recognized bestowed upon them the
torch they have to carry in the years to come. On the flipside is a pair of
warriors who have gone on the same path, now in the climactic stages of their
pugilistic careers.
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| On several occasions, it seemed headed towards a finish. However, both had no quit in them. |
The epic battle of The
Death from Tokyo versus Sindikato earned them a piece of MMA history when
they fought for the URCC Flyweight title last 25th of July 2015.
This wasn’t merely a battle for the belt. For both fighters
it was reaching the summit of a treacherous climb. Alvin “Sindikato” Ramirez
was an alumnus of the URCC University Challenge – the grassroots program that
led to the discovery of many Pinoy MMA fighters today. He was a kid with full
potential and bright future. A mix of ring savvy, crisp striking and that devil
may care attitude with complete disregard for the outcome as long as it turns into a good
scrappy slugfest.
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| Hideo is well known for his leg and foot attacks. Here he executes a straight footlock on Ramirez. |
Hideo “Death from Tokyo” Morikawa has been a URCC veteran in
its early years. From a strict karate base, his quickness and agility
complimented his straight punches and pointed elbows. Most of his victims ended
up either with lacerated faces (because of elbows) or extremely inflamed
profiles. What set him apart from other fighters is his strong mental
toughness. His ability to zone out helps him increase his pain threshold and
absorb punishment while inflicting a barrage of his own.
Both Alvin and Hideo earned the respect of fans and their
peers. Even during setbacks in their careers, their resilience never faded. As
time allowed them to mature and improve their craft, it was a fitting
culmination that they faced each other inside the cage for a strap that
deserved them both.
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| Alvin had his shining moments in the submission department as well. Above is a well timed triangle choke on Hideo. |
For five rounds they traded punches, kicks, elbows and
submissions. All traded with the intention to hurt, every inch was clawed and
paid for. In the end, there had to be a winner, on this night it was Hideo’s
time to rule the division.
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| A heel hook from Morikawa while Ramirez refused to tap. |
Perhaps what was endearing about the dogfight was the
connection the fighters had with the fans. All that followed the URCC through
the years saw the development of Alvin and Hideo with every event they fought
in. From their immature tendencies and reckless abandon during their early
years; viewers were treated to a display of grown men who grew up in the hurt
business. Their match exhibited the technical maturity one will show through
years of training and the toughness of the era which molded them.
They showed
everyone how it was done during the earlier years. When submission attempts were
answered with punches and kicks- not escapes, when joint locks were ignored
simply because nothing was broken, when two people would stand in front of each
other and just slug it out until someone falls face flat on the floor and when
the desire to win mattered more than the adoration of the crowd.
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| After five gruelling rounds, Hideo Morikawa was declared the new Champion. |
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