Alavarez, Bumina-ang, groomed as next MMA stars

BAGUIO CITY — With their impressive performances during their recent outing, Team Lakay coach Mark Sangiao believes Carlos Alvarez and Carlo Von Bumina-ang’s time has finally arrived.

For the past years, Alvarez and Bumina-ang have been under the limelight while honing their mixed martial arts skills.

But with the departure of some of Team Lakay’s former world champions, both fighters are now in the position to carry the torch for the Benguet based squad and pave their own path, too.

“Based on their performance sa kanilang mga huling laban, talagang maispag din sila sa training. Technically wise, halos kumpleto na sila pagdating sa skills. Siguro kailangan pa nila ng mas maraming exposure to gain experience,” Sangiao said.

(Judging from their recent performances in their latest bouts, it’s clear that they are deeply committed to their training regimen. From a technical standpoint, their skill sets are nearly comprehensive. However, to further enhance their capabilities, they could benefit from additional exposure that would provide valuable experiential learning.)

Bumina-ang recently showcased to the world what he is capable of, after dispatching Reza Saedi in less than a minute during his debut at ONE Friday Fights 27 held at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

The multi-awarded SEA Games athlete returned to mixed martial arts and needed only 52 seconds to finish off the Iranian wrestler with his lethal striking.

A booming left straight rocked Saedi, and Bumina-ang wasted no time by following it up with a barrage of straights, uppercuts, and knees, forcing referee Herb Dean to stop the fight.

“Sa training pa lang, lalo na sparring, alam na dito sa gym na talagang malakas sumuntok si Carlo,” Sangiao said.

(Carlo’s impactful punches, particularly evident during the sparring sessions at the gym, showcased his formidable striking ability.)

In the interim, Alvarez has secured two remarkable victories since transitioning to the professional circuit earlier this year.

His debut match last April 21 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok concluded with a second-round technical knockout against Reza Abasi, showcasing his prowess in the ring.

Despite the Filipino fighter’s efforts to secure a submission through knee strikes to the head, his attempts proved fruitless.

However, in the second round, he managed to attain a dominant full mount position.

This advantageous position enabled him to deliver a relentless barrage of ground and pound strikes, ultimately resulting in a laceration on the side of Abasi’s left eye.

In his subsequent match, Alvarez once again showcased his prowess by securing a remarkable second-round submission victory over Sadegh Ghasemi in July.

This impressive triumph also took place at the renowned Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

In just the 1:23 of the second frame, Alvarez set Ghasemi up for a D’Arce choke.

“We are expecting na may laban ulit later this year si Alvarez and hopefully pati si Carlo (Bumina-ang),” Sangiao said.

(We are expecting another fight featuring Alvarez later this year and also hoping Carlo’s participation.)