On Spotlight: Combat Sports in Bacolod

Sports fans can look forward to something new and exciting this 43rd Masskara Festival, as Empire Sports & Entertainment holds the 1st Mayor Albee Benitez Masskara Fight Festival. Putting the spotlight on combat sports in Bacolod City, it will be held on October 14, 2022, 6PM, at the Central Hall, 3/F, Ayala Malls Capitol Central.

Rediscovering the Art and Science of Combat Sports

Highlighting combat sports in Bacolod, the event was first announced in a press conference last September 14, 2022 at the Ayala Malls Capitol Central. Attended by various media representatives, influencers as well as sports fans, the Empire Sports & Entertainment team provided a venue where mixed martial arts athletes can showcase their abilities and their training routines, aiming to bring the sport of mixed martial arts closer to the public.

Dubbed the 1st Mayor Albee Benitez Masskara Fight Festival, it will be held on October 14 at the Ayala Capitol Central Hall. It will be an action-packed fight night showcasing the art of boxing, muay thai, and mixed martial arts.

Highlighted local athletes include fighters for the Masskara Fight Festival:

• LEO PANES – the MAIN EVENT AND ON A 2 FIGHT WINNING STREAK 
• ROLAN SERVANIA – the BOXING MAIN EVENT AND UNDEFEATED PRO BOXER 
• MARIO JAGA – the BOXING CO-MAIN EVENT 
• EDUARDO LAJO – the MMA CO-MAIN EVENT

Other Bacolod fighters

• FRANKIE OLIMPOS – MMA FIGHTER AND MAIN EVENT OF BCD FIGHT NIGHT
• JULIUS ALIPATO – MMA FIGHTER AND CO-MAIN EVENT OF BCD FIGHT NIGHT
• BRYAN BENDANILLO – MMA FIGHTER AND BCD FIGHT NIGHT WINNER
• NEP TICAR – MMA FIGHTER AND BCD FIGHT NIGHT WINNER

About Empire Sports & Entertainment

Empire Sports & Entertainment is an organization that provides a platform for people to showcase their talents and chase their dreams. Founded in 2019 by Christian Abelarde together with his younger brother Al Abelarde, and Nacho Zayco, mentor and a close friend to the brothers, Empire Sports & Entertainment has done three successful events so far:

• 6100 Fight Night 2 – April 6, 2019 – 6100 Martial Arts & Fitness (300 Attendance)
• 6100 Fight Fest 2 – February 8, 2020 – Ayala Malls (500 Attendance)
• BCD Fight Night – August 6, 2022 – SMX Convention Center (700 Attendance)

A fighter himself who competes in Muay Thai and Kickboxing, Christian, along with Al, has worked as a matchmaker for BRAWL, one of the first MMA promotions in the country. “The pandemic put a temporary halt to everything but we are back, bigger and better, looking to take over this industry in our country,” Chris says.

Although the organization aims to showcase talents from different sports, it is currently directing the spotlight on combat sports, particularly in Visayas where raw talent can be found in abundance. 

“Our goal is to provide a platform for fighters. We plan to raise the MMA scene in the Visayas (like in Luzon) and eventually take over as the hotbed for MMA and other combat sports.”

The team, which includes Christian Abelarde, Al Abelarde, Nacho Zayco, Julian Matti, Giben Lee, Alex Caplinger, Prex Banasing, and Mea Pabiona, is composed of individuals with diverse talents and passions. Glued together by friendship and the love of combat sports, they aim to become the best promotion in the country.

“As of right now, we are an ‘events organization’. Next year, we plan on striking Empire Fighting Championship (EFC), bringing MMA in the Philippines to an international level in terms of overall quality, from the fights to the production value and marketing quality. We also have plans of nurturing our grassroots scene in Negros by creating a smaller league and doing events with various LGUs on the island.”

Chris further explains that the October event will be Empire’s way of giving back to the people of Bacolod, demystifying combat sports, and bringing the sport closer to the public.

“We are also working on bringing a bigger event to the city of Cebu on January 13-14, 2023 for the Sinulog Festival. It will be a weekend of events from Jiu-Jitsu Tournaments and Superfights, press conferences, open workouts, and capped with the highlight of the Fight Expo which will be an MMA event named QUEEN CITY FIGHT NIGHT held at the SkyHall in SM Seaside. We expect an attendance of a thousand people for the event and it will showcase the Martial Arts scene in Visayas.”