The Universal Reality Combat Challenge and the Academy Fighting Championship, together with media partner ABS-CBN Sports+Action, are set to debut Fight Farm, a reality show that will follow the journey of 16 amateur mixed martial arts fighters who will battle each other for a fighting contract with the URCC.
“This is part of our advocacy. In order to promote the sport, we need to be able to show stories of ordinary people who can compete, show that anyone can be a MMA fighter with hard work, dedication, and discipline,” ABS-CBN Sports + Action channel head Vince Rodriguez said regarding their new program.
“We believe in MMA, we believe in local talent. Suportahan natin sila hindi lang sa laban nila sa ring, kundi pati sa laban nila sa buhay.”
The show will feature amateur MMA fighters from different backgrounds and with different motivations in joining the program.
Jiar Castillo is one of the fighters raring to make it big, despite being born with one eye blind.
Edison Cashela, who was trained in Taekwondo as a kid by his father who and was teaching people about MMA in his father’s gym before experiencing difficult times wants to give his career and gym a re-birth.
Raul Luba and Bryan Salando, meanwhile want to fight for their family and to become a MMA champion. They are joined by 12 other athletes that also have stories that people can relate with and take inspiration from.
“Three years ago, we tied up and became the official grassroot program of the URCC,” host and AFC founder Ronald Catunao said.
“Since then, almost 40 percent of our roster were signed by the URCC and most of them are dominating now.”
“We will share to our viewers where and when they started, why they chose to fight, and how fighting changed their lives,” the URCC matchmaker added.
“The viewers will see how hard it is to be a fighter while dealing and living on different walks of life.”
Fight Farm will premiere on ABS-CBN Sports + Action on August 14 at 7:00pm.
The first round of the show will feature the following match-ups:
Norman Agcopra vs. Jiar Castillo
Pepito Masangkay Jr. vs. Jestoni Lim
Donald Adam vs. Edison Cashela
Johnny Merto vs. Charles Sayson
Joevincent So vs. Astralle Iglesia
Raul Luba vs. Bryan Salando
Andy Ligao vs. Ariel Oliveros
Jason Oranda vs. Jomar Manlangit
