NEW ERA FOR TEAM KARABAW

Moving into a new place, there's always mixed feelings. Leaving an old place behind is not easy due to familiarity and nostalgia where memories have been built over the years. 

New place means a new chapter, a new beginning, a new era. This is Team Karabaw Sabah. This 1 September 2018 will mark a milestone for Team Karabaw, as their headquarter will move into International Technology & Commercial Centre, Penampang (ITCC-Penampang). 

Team Karabaw is possibly the biggest gym network in Borneo.

Founded by Sensei Rayner Kinsiong (former national Malaysian Karateka and ONE Championship fighter ) in 2012 , that time was it was based in AllFit gym. It was together with his Karate brothers...  

"My main aim was to keep our Karate way of life/discipline and eventually to tap into MMA/muaythai/boxing scene.

The people who started the team and still with me now is Sensei Vallerio Gumbilai, Sensei Thomas Olin and Douglas Gumbilai." 

Founding members: from right Thomas Olin, Rayner Kinsiong, Vallerio Gumbilai, Daouglas Gumbilai 

Eventually Team Karabaw set up it's own home in 2012 at Market 88. It was a two shop lot space on the 1st floor. This was a place where have seen the blood and sweat of many fighters that train here for their fight camp and also a birthplace for many new prospect that eventually became regular in the local combat sports scene.

This venue in Market 88 also has seen several events being held here. MIMMA 5 Sabah trial selection, STAND Junior, Muay Fight Night (MFN) and MFN Ladies Cup.

Team Karabaw crew  at MIMMA 5 selection at Karabaw gym Market 88

Karabaw HQ at Market 88 : The boxing ring and sparring mat 

Karabaw HQ at Market 88

"I wanted to represent who we were... wanted to show that KARATE isn't a bad place to start with...  
We built the team and now we have some world ranking Muaythai fighter through teachings with the mixture of karate and other martial arts...

We still believe strongly in the way we were brought up."

With this believe...Team Karabaw further expand.

Tamparuli branch set up in 2013, Papar 2014, Sipitang 2014, Putatan 2016, Keningau 2016 and the latest addition...Labuan 2018.

Last year Rayner was hands-on involved in building Sabah Muaythai Camp. From clearing of land, sourcing of equipment, planning layout, etc to the day it open in November 2017 with a Youth Muaythai Competition. The Sabah Muaythai Camp is a sprawling huge well equipped facilities for fighter training in Papar, believe to be the first of it's kind in Borneo. It is also the new home for Team Karabaw Papar.

Sabah Muaythai Camp

Army of Karabaws in MIMMA 3 selection at 1Borneo

Tell us what is the significance of the name Karabaw.

Rayner explains...

"KARA (KARATE WAYS) + BAW (KERBAU - the Malay word for bull) because we believe in the spirit of a bull...  hardworking, a beast in a way)"

What is your fondest memories?

"Seeing our young ones achieve what they have achieve to date....THAT always will be my fondest memories, I am sure Val and Thomas will say the same thing."

What's your message to the new generations of Karabaws?
"Keep the Karabaw spirit alive, stay as one... We are stronger TOGETHER."

What's your vision for the team?

"I want TEAM KARABAW to be known as ONE powerhouse in any martial arts in Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia...and someday be known around the world."

photo by Deb Gauges

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The new gym has a clean, minimalist white ambiance. The concept of white is actually a part of martial art. White gives a feeling of serenity. When you are a martial artist doing battle, calmness and serenity is the key to victory. Chaos is brashness that will lead most of the time to defeat.

White also symbolizes pure heart, humbleness and respect. A true martial artist will always carry themselves with honour and respect.

Team Karabaw HQ is located at ITCC Mall, Donggongon Penampang, 20 mins drive from Kota Kinabalu. It is the latest mall in Kota Kinabalu. It has ample parking space, spacious shopping area, many food outlets...and now you can go there and train in Team Karabaw Martial Arts and Fitness Academy.

Opening hours is 10am - 10pm. Currently classes available are for Muaythai, Muaythai Kids (below 13years old), Brazillian Jiujitsu, Capoiera, Personal training (Muaythai and Fitness)

There are lockers for rent, hot & cold shower rooms and changing room available.

Grand opening is on 1st Sept, which will be officiated by Datuk Seri Panglima Clarence Bongkos Malakun at 2pm. 

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FIGHT FEST 4: THE ART OF COMBAT FULL RESULTS

The iconic mall of Centre Point Sabah was crowded with enthusiastic spectators on 7-8 October 2017. All of them glued their eyes and focus their attention on the Muaythai ring of Fight Fest.
Fight Fest returned with it's 4th edition and again wowed the crowds with plenty of martial arts action and activities.

Event founder Johan Julian again pointed out that Fight Fest continue to work with public mall where there are ready crowds for two reasons;
1st - to give more exposure of different type of martial arts to the masses, so that their interest will be sparked and may take up classes at the different martial arts gym in Sabah which in return will grow the industry.
2nd reason; that usually fighters will be supported by family and friends, and these group of people can in return bring business to the mall. Hence a win win situation for both parties.

For Day 1 ( 7 October ), Novice Muaythai tournament was organised. More than 50 participants took part. This tournament was organised together with Persatuan Muaythai Daerah Kota Kinabalu, with the sole purpose of unearthing more new Muaythai talents for Sabah.

Sabah have numerous Muaythai gym and for those that has taken up Muaythai and have been training hard, the only way to gauge what they have learnt is to test it out in the competition ring, hence the effort to organise this tournament, to enable newcomer to put into action what the months of practice they have gone through.

Kids Muaythai was also competed, but for Fight Fest, Julian's said the kids Muaythai is more of an exhibition match to give exposure for the participants. All fighters for kids Muaythai was awarded gold medals to give them motivation and encouragement.

Kids Muaythai

Next to the Muaythai ring, grappling mat was set up for BJJ & Mata Leao Submission Grappling. This was oversee by the Brazilian Luta Livre Asia Pacific Union led by Antonio Battistessa and Persatuan BJJ Negeri Sabah led by Soh.

Day 2 saw the Mata Leao No-Gi Submmission grappling held. 2 category was competed. White belt Absolute & Blue/Purple Belt Absolute.

In the White belt category, emerging talent from Borneo Tribal Sq, Alexander Fong emerged as the Champion. This victory was sweet for him as he enter the category as the lightest and smallest of all the competitor.

Alexander Fong in action

Mata Leao Submission Grappling continued with the Blue /Purple Belt category. Eazy Anuar of Brunei dominated and took home the coveted Fight Fest : Mata Leao Title Belt.
It was certainly memorable victory as this came from overcoming a pool of very accomplished grapplers.
In the category saw MIMMA 3 Semi-finalist & JFL 2015 finalist Samuel Lai from Borneo Tribal Sq returned back to competition after a long hiatus. Team Relentless India founder former Judoka Jitendre Khare and his team mate Susovan Ghosh also competed.

Eazy representing Walid Brothers is a former Brunei national team rugby player who took up BJJ to supplement his rugby training many years back and it became his no.1 passion. Leading the Team Bussido in Brunei, Eazy and team actively participate in numerous BJJ / Grappling tournament around Asia, and always brought back good results home.

Eazy most recently in August represented Brunei to the IBJJF World Masters in Las Vegas and reached the quarter finals in a stacked category of  62 athletes from all over the world.

proud owner of the 1st FIGHT FEST MATA LEAO title belt

K1 Kickboxing Superfight was the order of the 2nd half of the day with 11 bouts altogether. Kickboxing matches are sanction by ISKA. The hi-light being the 60kg K1 Kickboxing Title Fight between Aziz 'The Shantung Kid' vs Reyan 'Pemburu Bayang'
( click here to read the pre-event story on the main event fight )

Reyan being awarded the Fight Fest 60kg Kickboxing Title Belt

Reyan & Aziz together with representative from sponsors, POWEROOT, DEKOJUTA & CENTREPOINT

As for non competition activities, crowds and spectators was treated to plenty of activities.

Martial arts demo was conducted by Evolution Fight Team led by Master Stephen Koh and Silat Gayong by Persatuan Seni Silat Gayong Ma'arifat Malaysia - Cawangan Sabah.

Former SEA games Gold medalist Michelle Koh took center-stage before the title fight leading her group of dancer bringing her energetic Fuze Fitness to entertain and got everyone in a dance mood.

Taekwon-do & Silat demonstration

Virtual Reality games by VIRTUAL DIMENSION

Hilmi Reitz with his Combat Science

Michelle Koh's FUZE FITNESS

Power Root sponsors the fitness challenge

RAMPAGE fight gear

Iylia with his Fight Comics tee

Congrat to Reyan and KINABALU KINGS team for a succesful outing at FIGHT FEST