One of the region’s premiere MMA promotions, Pacific X-treme Combat, held its 13th event in the Philippines at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City on Saturday night.
In an uber deep card featuring a double main event treat, Japanese judoka Chuji Kato shook-off jeers from the hostile Filipino crowd in taking a unanimous decision victory over striker Glen Ranillo to win the PXC Lightweight Championship in the night’s first main event. In the card’s main event, Fil-Am Alvin Cacdac, after 36 pro fights, finally takes home the PXC Championships with a submission victory over Fightworks MMA standout Ernesto Montilla Jr.
MMA Journeyman Alvin Cacdac wins the PXC Flyweight Championship
The Filipino crowd was on its feet for the entire fight during the PXC Flyweight Championship match between Unlimited MMA’s Alvin Cacdac and the 4-2 Ernesto Montilla.
In an amazing sequence in the opening salvo of the match, Montilla went for a headkick but missed and resulted to a picture perfect suplex by the MMA journeyman. Montilla was able to get right back up and connect on a successful double leg take down. Cacdac then sprawled right back up and land a successful hip throw on Montilla to hold his opponent down. From side control, Cacdac was able to mount Montilla and connect on huge rights and lefts on his prone opponent. Luckily for the man known as the “Iron”, the bell rang to signal to end of the 1st round.
Montilla, still dazed from the beating he received the prior round, started slow in the 2nd stanza of the match. Cacdac connected on two successful jabs that busted Montilla’s right cheek. An eye-poke by Montilla followed by an accidental kick to the groin by Cacdac gave both fighters a well-deserved two-minute break after a blistering pace. When the fight resumed, Cacdac was able to connect on a successful double leg takedown. Montilla was able to kip right back up and corner Cacdac to the fence to end the round.
The 3rd round opened with an aggressive Montilla swinging for the fences. With about 3 minutes left into the round though, Cacdac was able to successfully shoot down Montilla and connect with a takedown. After a short scramble, Cacdac was able to grab the back of Montilla. After landing a few ground-and-pound shots, Alvin Cacdac slapped a rear naked choke. The choke was deep and eventually Montilla had to tap out.
Finally, Alvin Cacdac’s long MMA odyssey has resulted to him winning the PXC Flyweight Championship. What makes the victory more special for the Filipino-American fighter was that he won the title in his motherland. “My heart was always in the Philippines”, said the champion in a post-fight press conference. When pressed on who he wants to face next, Cacdac gave a list of contenders for his next fight including UFC Veteran Darren Uyenoyama, former PXC Bantamweight Champion Crisanto Pitpitunge, or even a rematch against Ernesto Montilla.
Chuji Kato outgrapples Glen Ranillo to win the PXC Lightweight Championship
In a clash of styles, the grappler from Japan Chuji Kato utilized his mastery of the mats in stymieing the striker Glen Ranillo.
The match started with the two fighters circling the cage to test each other out for two minutes. As the Filipino crowd jeered both fighters to start slugging it out, Kato striked first and immediately went for a shoot to take Ranillo down. Kato was acting in passing Ranillo’s guard, switching from mount to side control and back again until the first round ended.
In the next two rounds, Ranillo tried to turn the match into a standup affair but the judoka outmuscled the Filipino to send the match back to the ground. An illegal upkick by Ranillo in the 4th round placed the Team Insider standout in a much deeper hole. The final round saw Koji immediately take Ranillo and pin him to the mat.
As the crowd boo’d on how the match went and the eventual result, the newly crowned PXC Lightweight Champion thanked the crowd and humbly thanked Glen Ranillo for the match.
The Slugger defeats a living legend
One of the most awaited bouts in the card is the stand-up warfare between former PXC Bantamweight Champion Cris Pitpitunge and one of the best muay thai practitioners in MMA Rambaa M16 Somdet.
Both fighters showed how well rounded their games are as the two fighters connected on successful takedowns during the match. But the highlight of the match was the exchanges the two strikers had on their feet. In the final round, the Team Lakay fighter was in trouble when M16 clipped the Slugger with a huge right. Pitpitunge was able to recover and slugged it out with Somdet to close the round. Somdet’s late rally fell short as Pitpitunge took a razor-thin split decision victory over the Thai.
The Fighting Filipina does not overcome Casey’s reach
In the only women’s bout of the night, Team Lakay darling Gina Iniong succumbed to the length of Courtney Casey.
Both fighters had a 3-1 record going into the match. The reach advantage of the Nest Hawaii’s Casey however was visible. Casey outstruck Iniong with quick jabs and a huge straight knocked Gina down. Iniong was able to recover and threw Casey with a hip throw. Casey however was able to grab hold of Iniong’s back and immediately sunk a deep rear naked choke for the submission victory.
It was a short match but the appreciative Filipino crowd applauded both female athletes. “I love the Philippines!” exclaimed the victor.
Also picking-up wins in the card are former Philippine nationals’ freestyle wrestling champion Josh Sapinoso, Roy Doliguez, Team Quest fighter Mark Abelardo, Jenel Lausa, and Brazilian Wesley Perreira.
PXC 46: Montilla vs. Cacdac Results
November 15, 2014 – Ynares Sports Arena, Philippines
PXC Flyweight Championship
Alvin Cacdac def. Ernesto Montilla by Submission (Rear Naked Choke), R3
PXC Lightweight Championship
Chuji Kato def. Glen Ranillo by Decision (Unanimous)
Flyweight match: Crisanto Pitpitunge def. Rambaa Somdet by Decision (Split)
Strawweight match: Roy Doliguez def. Dennis Salazar by Decision (Unanimous)
Women’s Atomweight match: Courtney Casey def. Gina Iniong by Submission (Rear Naked Choke), R1
Flyweight match: Jenel Lausa def. Dean Bermudez by Submission (Guillotine Choke), R1
Bantamweight match: Mark Abelardo def. Ernie Braca by TKO (Punches), R1
Featherweight match: Josh Sapinoso def. Robin Eclavea by Decision (Unanimous)
Featherweight match: Wesley Perreira def. Arex Montalban by Submission (Armbar), R1
Watch the replay of PXC 46 by clicking here
