EVEN with his family pedigree in mixed martial arts, Rene Catalan Jr. knows that he faces an uphill battle against undefeated One FC veteran Eros Baluyot in their flyweight clash in the Universal Reality Combat Championship “Kaogma Collision 2” this Sunday at the Fuerte Sports Complex in Pili, Camarines Sur.
“Alam ko pong magaling at malakas na kalaban si Eros. Kaya kailangan ko itong pagbutihan at ibigay ko ang lahat ng aking makakaya,” said Catalan, 20, the son of Doha Asian Games gold medalist Rene Sr., during the press launch at the DEFTAC gym in Paranaque the other day.
“I won’t take anything for granted given the coach of my opponent whom we fought earlier,” said Baluyot, 32, of the elder Catalan, whom he defeated by knockout after an action-packed fight in the URCC headed by wrestling chief Alvin Aguilar.
“We have two exciting fighters in Eros and Rene plus some very exciting matchups in the undercard so the event is truly worth watching and time for the Kaogma Festival,” said Aguilar of the MMA event coinciding with the festival celebrating the founding anniversary of the province.
He disclosed that Camarines Sur Gov. Lray Villafuerte and his siblings, lawmakers Migz and Luigi, are all MMA buffs and have thrown their full support behind the event as one of the highlights of the jubilee of the province, which was founded on May 27, 1569 during the Spanish colonial period.
“Mahirap ngang kalaban si Eros, pero kayang talunin huwag lang madaan sa grappling si Junior,” said the elder Catalan, a former world wushu champion who bagged a gold medal in the men’s 52-kilogram division in sanda at the Doha Asiad.
A former world jiu-jitsu champion, Baluyot is eager to use his forte in overpowering his younger opponent to keep his unblemished record but would not overlook the punching skills of Catalan.
