IN FOCUS

NO HOLDS BARRED

What’s all the fuss about mixed martial arts (MMA) and why is DB becoming something of an MMA hub? Elizabeth Jerabek sits down with a couple of local cage fighters – and Jomar ‘Rush’ Manlangit – to find out

Destiny is a common thread running through martial arts traditions from all over the world. For example, in 1958 Bruce Lee won both a boxing tournament organised by local Hong Kong schools, as well as the Hong Kong Crown Colony Cha-Cha Championship. Think how different the world would be if he had gone on to pursue the cha-cha instead of continuing his kung fu training in Wing Chung with Yip Man.

Bruce Lee’s hybrid martial arts style Jeet Kune Do is often credited with paving the way for mixed martial arts (MMA), the full-contact combat sport in which just about anything goes and exhibitionism is encouraged. Famously described as ‘human cockfighting’ in 1996 by US Senator John McCain (initially only eye gouging and biting were forbidden), MMA is one of the most popular spectator sports in the world.

Enter the dragon

Without Bruce Lee not only would there be no MMA, but there would also not be a MGK Fight Club in Discovery Bay. “I watched a lot of kung fu movies, a lot of Bruce Lee, when I was a teenager growing up in Marseille,” opens DB resident and MGK founder Marc Guyon, 36, who started training in Wing Chung aged 15.

Marc got his first taste of MMA at the Ultimate Training Centre, the UK’s premier MMA facility, when he was working in Birmingham as a young graduate. Two years later, he made his way to Hong Kong and over the past eight years he has built his career and reputation as an MMA fighter. His first professional MMA fight (which he won) was in September 2014 in Hong Kong.

Marc competes on the mainland and throughout Asia but, here in Hong Kong, you’ll often find him

Marc Guyon

Maleek Mathiesen Jomar ‘Rush’ Manlangit

on the fight card at Just MMA. Founded by Andrew Chan and Tony Au, Just MMA organises professional MMA fights as well as amateur feeder programmes and semi-pro undercard events. “We provide a platform for fans and practitioners alike to have access to exhilarating events featuring upcoming and internationally acclaimed fighters,” says Tony.

For professional fighters, intensive training usually starts two to three months in advance of a fight. To prepare for a fight, Marc trains at least twice a day and the regimen includes a mix of aerobic conditioning, strength training and working on martial arts techniques.

“And, of course, you change your diet,” says Marc. “I like to eat everything, but when I am preparing for a fight, I have to be more careful in order to cut weight to fit into the [bantamweight] division.” Marc’s fighting weight is 61kg, and he fasts and goes without water for several days before a fight.

MMA fighters weigh in the day before a fight, which allows them to recover from their efforts to make weight. “It’s for safety reasons, and to be fair, and also so that the fighters can put on a good show,” says Marc. “Because MMA is also a show business, it’s not just fighting.”

Coming from a traditional martial arts background, Marc says he didn’t immediately take to the show business aspect of MMA – but time has changed that. “In traditional martial arts training, you practice a technique over and over again, and when you get really good, and have mastered a lot of techniques,

the repetition can get a bit boring,” he explains. “But in combat sports, like MMA, the training also includes finding the strategy for a fight with a specific opponent – what is their personality, their style – and that lends itself to putting on a show. It is also what makes it interesting to train in MMA; the focus is on the fight and not just on the technique.”

Destiny’s champion

high school after the fourth year to focus on his training.

A knee injury has kept Jomar out of action since April last year – it’s no holds barred in the cage, remember. But post-surgery, he is now keen to get back to his twice daily training regimen of skipping rope, shadow boxing, sparring and practicing martial arts techniques.

“There is nothing like the feeling inside the cage,” he says. “It’s incredible to focus beyond the fear so that you can stay positive and be focused on the game plan to win.” Talking about what it’s like starting out as a young fighter, Maleek says: “I liked how humbling it was to get into the ring and get smashed by the other person. I am a very competitive person, so I immediately was like, ‘I want to get good enough to do that to someone else.’”

After his first fight at a white-collar boxing event in the summer of 2019, Maleek was hooked. “As soon as I exited the ring I wanted to You could easily say it was Jomar fight again,” he says. “I would train ‘Rush’ Manlangit’s destiny to all day, every day, if I had enough become a professional MMA fighter training partners to spar with.” – it’s certainly in his blood. A trainer at MGK for two years (2018 to Maleek is hoping for his first 2020), Jomar was six years old when he started training “There is nothing like the feeling amateur MMA fight early this year. “I tried to get down to in Muay Thai in Manila under inside the cage. It’s incredible to a fighting weight of 70kg,” his uncle Charles ‘Le Tigre’ de focus beyond the fear so that you he says. “But it was just too Tomas. While Charles used to fight professionally, his son can stay positive and be focused hard and I was only focused on losing the weight, and Carls John ‘Golden Boy’ de on the game plan to win” - not focused on training for Tomas (CJ) is currently one Jomar ‘Rush’ Manlangit the fight. So I’ve settled on a of the hottest MMA fighters fighting weight of 77kg, in the in the Philippines. Well able welterweight division.” to hold his own, Jomar, 25, won Karate kid a gold medal in Muay Thai at the If all goes well, Maleek could have 2014 Philippine National Games. When it comes to finding your 10 to 12 years ahead of him as a destiny, sometimes luck also professional fighter. “I think MMA “My whole family are fighters,” says plays a role. And that’s certainly is the most pure form of fighting Jomar, who credits his uncle for his the case for Maleek Mathiesen, because you can do anything, success. “My uncle encouraged 22, who grew up in DB and you can use any technique,” me to focus on training in order started his training in MMA and he says. to keep me out of trouble. I didn’t Brazilian jiu jitsu in 2019 at Hybrid want to listen to others, I didn’t MMA & Fitness in Central. His job Like Jomar, Maleek says MMA has want to be told what to do. But my as a trainer at MGK came about given him discipline and direction. uncle would wake me up every after a chance meeting on the “When you learn to fight, you learn day at 5am and kick me out of ferry last year. “Marc told my dad compassion,” he concludes. “You bed to start running, followed by that he was looking for trainers for learn how to handle your emotions training at 7am, and then more his new studio,” Maleek explains. and reactions so you can see the training after school and in the “And I was looking for a job...” bigger picture.” evening until 11pm. He wanted CJ and I to be good fighters – to be champions. And I didn’t want to FIND IT disappoint him.” • Hybrid MMA & Fitness, www.hybridmmafit.com • Just MMA, www.just-mma.com • MGK Fight Club, www.marcguyon.hk

Jomar, who fights in the flyweight division at 57kg, was eight years old for his first Muay Thai fight and 15 years old for his first professional MMA fight. He left