In an effort to find answers to essential questions that I thought every URCC MMA fan like me would want to know, I reached out to the Main Event fighters of URCC 23.
I saw Red Romero’ fight at URCC Dekada via live streaming but one of my honest to goodness fundamental question leading up to URCC 23 is, “Who is Red Romero?”
So, without further ado, below are info from our Q&A on “Things I needed to know” about The Filipino Bolo Punch.
It is the kind of self-awareness and determination that has played a major role in his personal growth, self-improvement and motivation as a fighter. Red Romero started as an amateur, being one of the standouts from URCC’s MMA event called “URCC University Challenge”.
A dangerous striker from Parañaque City, Philippines, The Filipino Bolo Punch began training in Muay Thai in 2004 under Maestro Rennie Ross. Four years later, he studied the Filipino Martial Arts form of Yaw-yan until he became a certified Yaw-yan instructor.
Romero wasn't able to finish high-school but in his fight to get ahead in life’s game, he told me about his quest for knowledge as he enrolled and graduated in Vocational Automotive course at TESDA, Las Pinas in 2010. It was on that same year that his Pro-MMA career at URCC was launched. He racked up an impressive 4 wins out of five up until 2011. His fight record includes a 1st round Submission (punches) win against current Bantamweight Champion Jessie Rafols at URCC XX.
Consecutive losses from late 2011 to early 2012 have fueled his relentless desire to further improve his game, particularly in his grappling. As a result, Romero joined Team DEFTAC in April of 2012. He has since become an instructor at DEFTAC and a full time MMA fighter.
ON what has changed ever since he joined Team DEFTAC:
“Ang DEFTAC ang bago kong pamilya sa larangan ng MMA. Madali silang pakisamahang lahat at very supportive sila sakin. Kaya kahit mahirap ang training, parang madali nalang din. At mas lumaki ang tiwala ko sa sarili ko sa larangan ng MMA ng matutunan ko pa ang jiu jitsu, at na improve ko pa ang aking boxing. (Team DEFTAC is my new family in MMA. It’s so easy to get along with everyone and they are all very supportive of me. My self-confidence has grown a lot especially in the field of MMA when I learned Jiu-jitsu, and my Boxing has also improved since I joined DEFTAC).
Exactly 1 year after joining the country’s pioneer team in MMA and BJJ, Romero will go up against Dave Galera who is being recognized as a Submission Specialist and currently training out of Baguio City with the highly regarded Team Lakay.
I find it interesting to note that Galera and Romero are fighters who have taken what seems to be contrasting paths in their individual goals to succeed in MMA.
As mentioned previously, Romero is a Striker who now trains in the gym founded by URCC Founder himself, and BJJ Black belt Professor Alvin Aguilar, particularly to learn Jiu-Jitsu. Galera on the other hand, is a BJJ Purple Belt under Charles Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Nevada, USA, and currently training at Team Lakay. The Baguio City gym is well known for its stable of champion strikers whose base Martial Arts is Wushu.
On facing an undefeated up-and-comer and BJJ Purple Belt who has won 75% (3 out of 4) of his fights via submission:
“Kung purely Jiu-jitsu siguro (ang laban) pwede niya ako madominate, pero ibang usapan naman pag MMA na. Duon pwede mo naman i-ground and pound ang kalaban kaya sa tingin ko dun ako babawi”.
Romero said that while he is aware of Galera’s strength in the ground game, his confidence comes from his knowledge that in MMA, there are several ways to defeat his opponent, and one of which is via ground-and-pound.
I did the photo coverage at ringside in Dave Galera’s last fight at URCC Baguio V Unleashed early this year (Click HERE for the photo gallery). I witnessed up-close when his opponent Keiff Mangusan tapped-out twice during that fight; the first instance, Galera let go of the triangle choke only to find out later that his opponent’s tapout was not seen by the referee. Nevertheless, the fight ended with Galera sinking in another Triangle-choke and made sure the referee saw the tap and got the win by submission.
On what this fight against Dave Galera means to him, and his career:
“Malaking opportunidad ito para sakin kasi pagkatapos nito pag nanalo ako eh championship belt naman at laban sa ibang bansa”
He believes that this is a big opportunity for him. If he wins the interim Bantamweight belt against Galera, he’ll get a shot at current Bantamweight champion Jessie Rafols to unify the two belts and become the Undisputed URCC Bantamweight Champion. He also believes that a win will also open up opportunities to fight overseas.
On Galera being a dangerous fighter on his guard, and how confident is he that he can beat him:
“Umabot man kami sa ganun, pag nasa guard niya ako hindi naman ako mag-papabaya. Gagawin ko kung ano ang training ko sir!”
Romero believes that his Jiu-jitsu training has thought him to be able to defend well against submission, and that he won’t be careless against Galera’s highly potent guard game.
“Basta Kita kita nalang sa April 27 at siyempre BAKBAKAN NA! Salamat din sa pag interview sa akin. Sa uulitin! Sa mga fans ko diyan at mga fans na din ng URCC, Manood kayo ng URCC UNRIVALED SA APRIL 27! Ibibigay ko ang lahat para makapag-bigay ng magandang palabas para sainyo! BAKBAKAN NA!!!"
I thanked the dangerous yet very humble fighter for taking time off from his training to answer my questions. This Q&A got me more stoked to watch the fight between an exciting striker who has constantly made an effort to evolve, against an undefeated rising star and submission specialist from Team Lakay!
Pagkatapos nito, wala na akong kelangan itanong pa, tama ang sabi ni Red: “BAKBAKAN NA!”
Watch this POV Video from Red Romero's DEFTAC corner at URCC 22 Dekada
Here’s the Full fight Card:
"UNRIVALED" APRIL 27 2013, SMX
Roy Doliguez (Elorde Mma) vs Lito Adiwang (Tribal submission)
~ Pinweight 110-119 ~
Suri Guga (Ao Hai Ling MMA) vs Onyok Transmonte (Map/Sub Sport)
~ Bantamweight 130-139 ~
Mark Somes (Freestyle) vs Melchor Cases (Safehouse Gym)
~ Middleweight 170-179 ~
Qing Long (Ao Hai Ling MMA) vs MJ Abrillo (Yaw Yan Kampilan)
~ Flyweight 120-129 ~
Fei Guo Lin (Ao Hai Ling MMA) vs Alvin Ramirez (Yaw Yan Buhaw)
~ Bantamweight 130-139 ~
Edmund Velasco (Team Torogi) vs Angelito Manguray
~ Lightweight 150-159 ~
Rex DeLara (Iloilo Combat Sports) vs Vaughn Donayre (Ardigma/Deftac)
~ Lightweight 150-159 ~
Arvin Chan (D'elements/Safehouse) vs Froilan Sarenas (Submission Sports Phil)
~ Lightweight 150-159 ~
Andrew Benibe (Maic's Gym) vs Will Chope (Phuket Top Team)
~ Interim Featherweight Title Bout 140-149 ~
Dave Galera (Lakay MMA) vs Red Romero (DEFTAC)
~ Interim Bantamweight Title Bout 130-139 ~