Fight Fest - Act of War

The 2nd coming of Fight Fest. This time in Citymall Kota Kinabalu on the 6 Sept 2015. The 1st Fight Fest - King of Kings was only held 5 months ago in April 2015. In this short time Fight Fest has grown. From 11 bouts in April they have grown two fold. This time 24 bouts is planned.

The growth of combat sports event certainly augurs well for Borneo & Sabah specifically. Local events like this gives opportunity for new comers to participate to gain exposure and experience. Organisers usually also mixed in some experience fighters to give the events a good mix of old & new. For the newcomers they can learn from the seniors. For the seniors they get to showcase their skills and build on their fight records.

Mixing it up is also the forte of Fight Fest, being a hybrid combat sports event that combine K1 Kickboxing and MMA fights in one competition, offers fight fans more variety of fights. This also brings together martial artist from different gym & different background to exchange techniques & experience.

Being only the 2nd event, Fight Fest is still growing. It hopes to bring K1 rules fights to the forefront of martial arts scene in Borneo. Fight Fest 2 will have Amateur K1 Kickboxing: 70kg Super 4, Amateur MMA: 56kg Super 4 and 20 exhibitions matches of kickboxing and MMA. Participants from Singapore, Philippines, Brunei, Sarawak, Labuan & Malaysia will be settling their score in a boxing ring this Sunday.

Fight Fest is sanctioned by the International Sports Kickboxing Association (ISKA) Asia, International Mixed Martial Art Federation (IMMAF) & Sabah Mixed Martial Art Association. Venue sponsor by Citymall, official drinks by Power Root Sdn Bhd.

September 5th will be the weight in day starting from 10am onwards, while September 6th will be the fight day. Entry is free and there will be games hosted by Power Root & Sabah Top Team to the open public. For more info, call Johan Julian Lee at 0168311440 or follow the event updates at facebook: www.facebook.com/borneofightfest

Tournament format is the backbone of martial art competiton, we see this in traditional martial arts competition such as TaeKwonDo, Karate, Silat etc. But as competition heats up and fans wants to see more action, tournament format can be a risk as fighters may be injured in earlier fights which hinders their progress for the next fight. This was what happens in Fight Fest 1 when Dean Hamsah vs Azrin Kadri in Amatuer MMA Super4, bothe fighters went all out, back & forth, the fight was epic! But the winner Dean was burned out and was not able to progress to final to challenge Effendy Kalai, so was Azrin.
On the other hand, tournament format will make fighters fight smarter, to avoid injury in the early round. In other words, tournament format will favour technical fighters. Yes those with effective and better techniques will be able to do well, as they can connect & gain points yet don't get burn out by going all out. Saving their energy for the finals!

Watch out for fighters such as Kyo Kaede, Mohd Hasbullah, Banetto Bain and Nur Sakinah for explosive fights

Kyo Kaede

Nur Sakinah

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Now let's get some infor on Fight fest 2 - Act of War from the founder himself , Johan Julian Lee

You titled it Act of War...what is the concept behind this theme?
The term "act of war" is usually a forecast of brutal action. Thus we hope FF2 mirrors this when the bell rings!

At FF1 you have 11 bouts , now at FF2 you will have 24 bouts! wow that's a huge jump! how were you able to achieve this?
The good support of the fighters and their coaches made this possible.

Why the exhibitions match? Why not put up actual fights? How different will an
exhibitions match be compare to actual match?
It is a real fight, "exhibition" only coz it is of amateur level & not a tourney format. 
These fights do carry records.

I believe FF is the 1st event having K1 rule fight in Sabah, how do you feel the
response from fighter and fight fans on this?
Yes it is. I think the responds have been great. Fans & coaches want to see their favorite fighters put in a different arena: can a boxer fight well in an environment where kicks and knees are allowed? Can a Muaythai champion do well if he isn't allowed his clinch & elbows? Can a Karate expert handle the conditioning of his opponent? These are just some examples that I'm sure makes kickboxing an interesting format for everyone.

Why do you choose the Super4 MMA at 56kg category this time?
Because I believe 56kg is a faster pace weight class, less likely to tire too soon & much more action packed.

Which bout do u personally think will be a blast?
I'm excited to see Fight Fest 1 super 4 champ Mardi take on Reyan Naga Kinabalu. Mardi has proven to be a great boxer & fits K1 well, while Reyan is actually a strong Muaythai champ that has beaten guys like Dean Hamsah twice in Muaythai. It would be interesting to watch this match.

Another bout would be Faizal "Boy Kicap" a famous Muaythai fighter with highflying kicks vs the Tawau boxer & also Muaythai fighter Zul "Corner Shot" (Alamgir Gym Tawau )

Fight Fest 2 opening bout by the ladies is also an interesting one with Nurul Atiqah vs Neera Nyr. For them this is a rubber match as each has beaten each other once in Muaythai, Neera won the last exchange. Neera also recently beat June in Fight Fest 1 who was undefeated in Muaythai. Does this mean kickboxing is a better format for Neera? We will find out.

Are you offering cash prizes this time?
Super 4 winners will win trophy, medal, certificate & cash prize.

Who are your sponsors? anything special for the fight fans?
Sponsors are Power Root & Citymall. Fight fans should keep an eye out at Power Root FB page for contest. Also there will be games hosted by Power Root & Sabah Top Team for the public.

The event I believe will combine with Muay Fight, tell me more?
As of now, Muayfight announced they have postponed their event in Sabah till the 18-20 Sept.

Does Citymall present a good venue for this events?

Citymall is great as it features all the shops near the fight. The crowd here is constant and thus I think makes best for the awareness of the sport.

This event will be free which is excellent for fight fans,...were you able to achieve this through support from your sponsors? or it's still very much your own effort to promote the event better?
The sponsor helped us a lot, hopefully more sponsors will come and support this event in the near future. That is why we decided to go public for free as it will get the awareness out.

I wish you all the best Julian for a successful Fight Fest 2
Thanks bro for your time.

SABAH OPEN BJJ & SUBMISSION GRAPPLING TOURNAMENT

History in the making this weekend of 22-23 Aug 2015. The 1st Sabah Open BJJ & Submission Grappling Tournament will be held at Likas Indoor Stadium, Kota Kinabalu Sabah.

Sabah Open BJJ ( Brazilian Jiu-JitSu ) is held as part of a bigger event - Sabah Fitness Festival,...which will feature their main event of  X45 Cross Fit Challenge.

Sabah Open BJJ is the brainchild of Allen Solomon Chong. He is the pioneer of BJJ in Borneo. Allen had a typical background in martial arts. In his school days, his dad teaches him TaeKwondo, he then progress to Karate. In Australia when pursuing his architectural degree in Deakin University, he had the opportunity to see BJJ up close. John Will, the veteran martial artist who introduce the Machado system of BJJ to Australia teaches in Geelong, where Allen's Uni is.
Allen was curious about BJJ. He had heard about it from watching UFC in the web. " What is this martial art that can submit people and make striker looks silly? " Once in it he was hooked!

Returning to his home in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Allen was eager to share his passion of BJJ with Sabahan. Forming BJJ Borneo club, he & his friends was training in the early days of 2008 in YMCA Damai. The popularity of UFC, Bellator, Pride sees a huge growth in MMA....and you can't do MMA without knowledge of grappling & submission, which BJJ is the top martial art in this category.

BJJ Borneo classes in the early days of 2008 at YMCA Damai

Allen's aspiration is that Sabah being the powerhouse of BJJ in Malaysia, and dream of seing BJJ being competed in SUKMA ( Sukan Malaysia ) one day. He doesn't just dream, he pursue it whole heartedly. Forming an association is the first step in making his dream a reality. But this certainly is not an easy step. But due to his passion for BJJ and the pin point focus on the dream he has, he went through the bureaucracy and red tape. Finally achieved this in the registeration of  "Persatuan BJJ Negeri Sabah" a few years back. It's the only BJJ association in Malaysia at the moment.

Functioning through a sports association allows BJJ to grow in Sabah with the help of Sabah state Ministry of Youth & Sports. The association immediately jump into action by organising Borneo Headhunters BJJ & Submission Challenge. Till 2014 it has run for 4 years and has been the platform to introduce BJJ, unearth new talent and grow the sports in this region. Allen and his team of committe has learn well from organising Borneo Headhunters.

Borneo Headhunters 2014

Hence this year, again with Allen's leadership, "Persatuan BJJ Negeri Sabah" took on a bigger challenge which is Sabah Open BJJ. To date 120 athletes has registered for the Gi & No Gi category making it the biggest BJJ competitions in Malaysia. Medal up for grabs are for 8 Men's weight category, 3 Women's weight, 3 kid's division and for the 1st time a Men's Masters (for 35 and above)

Allen's own team from Alpha MMA will be sending a strong team. Team's from around Sabah & the region such as Valor Martial Arts, Borneo Tribal Squad, Keningau MMA, Karabaw, Busiido Brunei. Participants from other country will also be here , such as from Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, Scotland, Taiwan.

Alpha MMA

Alpha MMA

Borneo Tribal Squad

Busiido Brunei

Karabaw

Valor Martial Arts

Keningau MMA

Allen loves to teach. In his Alpha MMA, there's a Youth Development Program that focus on developing the kids and youth to be BJJ champion. Sponsoring them to various tournament around the region to learn & grow their skills. Alpha MMA also regularly bring in foreign coaches to conduct seminar in Sabah to benefit his students and the whole of the martial art community in Sabah.

MMA's popularity fuel the growth of BJJ as more & more martial artist wants to add to their striking with good ground skills. Allen is no stranger to MMA. He has fought in the big league. Being the 1st MIMMA Lightweight Champion in 2013,

MIMMA 2013 Lightweight Champion

Allen was the only South East Asian to be selected during the trial for The Ultimate Fighter China.
Representing Malaysia to IMMAF ( International Mixed Martial Arts Federation) World Championship 2014 and also fought in regional MMA Competition as a Pro in Ultimate Beatdown and MIMMA MMArr.

Allen is one of the Malaysian team member at IMMAF World Championship 2015

At The Ultimate Fighter China - 2013

In BJJ, Allen is continuosly on the journey of learning. Learning from the likes of BJJ elites such as Fernando Maccalero, Leke Machado, UFC fighter Brian Ebersole and Stuart Cooper and also actively competing in BJJ competitions such as Abu Dhabi World Trials, Bangkok Open, Pan Asians, and recently in Indonesian Badass Championship.
Allen is riding on the fitness craze that is currently hitting Sabah. Sabah Fitness Festival (SFF), succesfully organised last year, to Allen, is a great platform to bring BJJ to another level.

" Not everyone likes to be hit on the face, BJJ is the sports version of MMA, why not taking it up train to be fit and learn self defense skills at the same time."

Even though train to fight as an MMA fighter, deep down Allen is a martial artist, he loves BJJ. For the tradition, the discipline and the respect it instill in the practioner.

Working as a full time architect occupies Allen's day time. At night coaching his students at his ALPHA MMA. Leading the organisingn team for Sabah Open BJJ, at times doing intensive training as he prepares for his Pro fights,...responsibilities as a father to his daughter Lana...how he cope all this?  By having great support from his family. Allen felt blessed  that not only is his parents very supportive but he also has a wife that is passionate in martial art like him. Carol is his life partner, herself an accomplished TaeKwonDoist, she helps him in running the gym & also in organising Sabah Open BJJ.

with Carol and baby Lana

Sabah BJJ Open will see the participations of AESTHETIC as a sponsors and MILO as the official beverage sponsors

MILO will provide prizes and drinks to all participants

Catch Ann Osman, representing her team Borneo Tribal Squad - Malaysia's 1st female MMA Pro Fighter in action at Sabah Open BJJ

The home grown Sabahan martial arts superstar

The closing ceremony on Sunday 5pm will be grace by Sabah state Minister of Youth and Sports, Datuk Hj. Tawfiq and his deputy, YB Masiung Banah.

Come and support this great event, it's free!
You could be witnessing at some future ONE FC or UFC Champion in action here!!!



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D1FC - Rhino Invasion

Fight fans, watch out...D1 Fighting Championship ( D1FC ) is back!!....
1-2 Aug 2015 at Stadium Titiwangsa Kuala Lumpur....this time it will be The Rhino Invasion!

D1FC has been growing stronger & bigger with each event. From a humble beginning of the 1st event in the heartland of Sabah - Ranau in June 2014. D1FC - Rhino Invasion ( R.I ) will be the 7th event which has been organised by Dihnar Group.

The 1st ever event held in foothills of Mt Kinabalu, in the town of Ranau

D1 Fighting Championship  pass events:

1st -  D1 Series I Muaythai Challenge,  Ranau, Sabah ( 14-15 June 14 )

2nd- D1 Series II Muaythai Challenge, Damai Multipurpose Hall, KK (13 Sep 2014)

3rd  - D1 FC: Rhino Warrior. The New Era, Star North City, KK (6 Dec 14)

4th - D1 FC: Rise of Rhino Warrior, Likas Sport Complex, KK (30-31 Jan to 1 Feb 15)

5th - Lion Belt 5 D1FC (Collaboration with Royal Team Belfort in Belfort, France  

(4 APR 2015 )

6th - D1FC: Rise Above The Rise, Oceanus Waterfront Mall, KK (6 June 15)

Pass D1FC events posters

Within 2 years time, D1FC has become the biggest muaythai event promoter in Borneo and with D1FC - R.I. it is taking a step further in making it's name in the national & regional South East Asia level. D1FC - R.I. will go down history as the 1st event in Malaysia being sanction by World Muaythai Council ( WMC ). This is certainly a great achievement as WMC only sanction one event per country. It will also has the privilege to be the 1st muaythai event in Malaysia carrying WMC new logo.
Certainly a great start towards being the ultimate muaythai event in Malaysia.

The organiser Dihnar Group and Persatuan Muaythai Kuala Lumpur, has put up a really stacked fight card. It's gonna be explosive!
8 title fight will be competed and another 4 bouts of Superfight to statisfied all fight fans.
International fighters from France, Ukraine, Italy, Thailand & Philipines and the best Malaysian fighters will have a slugfest to achieve muaythai glory.

Muaythai fans will be treated to the presence of stars fighters such as Muhammad Ali Yaakub,
Arthur Meyer, Bow Suweilek, Rafi Bohic, Jom Kitti, Shah Cf', Flo Rida, Randall Kadayum, Lena Ovchynnikova, Patrizia Valkyrja Gibelli, Rayner Kinsiong, Mikael Sjögren,Yusnor Rizan, Awi Tok Sheikh Aiman Muaythai and many more.....

Day 1 Fight cards - 1 Aug 2015

Day 2 Fight cards - 2 Aug 2015

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Warriors of Borneo manage to grab some time off the busy schedule of Ir.Hj Nazri Razak, the Managing Director of Dihnar Group for an interview :

Greetings from Warriors of Borneo Tuan Hj Nazri. Wishing you a wonderful Hari Raya Aidilfitri

First of all I want to congratulate you for being elected as the new Presiden of Persatuan Muay Thai Negeri Sabah and thank you for making time for this interview.

Looks like Muay Thai is gaining popularity in Sabah and with your leadership I believe you will bring it up to another level.

OK Sir, let me begin the interview

I can see that you are promoting D1FC Rhino Invasions heavily with billboards & banner.
How is the response for tickets so far?

Very good and selling out fast!
D1FC just got the recognition from World Muaythai Council (WMC) thru Malaysia Association.

We have also world title belt in total 4 numbers of fights for title belt and 4 numbers of title belt for D1FC Belt.​

As a Corporate person running Dihnar Group of Companies, why do you choose to promote MuayThai? why not other martial arts?

​As a Group Managing Director for DIHNAR Group and CEO for D1 Fighting Championship, I am fully promoting the muaythai sport as first of all, in Sabah we are far behind from Peninsular in Muaythai event. The Sabah Muaythai Association was just about 4 years in Sabah. I take this advantage to proof that Sabah is not far behind compare than Sarawak and also peninsular.

As a President of Sabah Muaythai Association.. I take this responsibility to grow this sport for Sabahan as a platform to go international. I work closely with my company as I think that from doing this.... we can easily get a win-win situation in many ways.​

Yourself Tuan Haji,... have you practice MuayThai before? or any other martial arts?
Silat perhaps?

Frankly speaking, i have no muaythai background or any other combat sport but i love to watch the combat sport.​

Why do you choose to have D1FC Rhino Invasions outside Sabah this time? Why in KL?

As D1FC is growing , it's D1FC fan base is also incresing rapidly and we have to support more activities in Malaysia so that the event will be bigger from time to time. And again... a road show event will take place in Sabah respectively. One thing is the hub of flight because the fighter is coming from everywhere in the world.​

You are bringing many international fighters to Malaysia for D1FC, how were you able to do this?

We have link and contact and we have also our scouting team as our match maker for fighters. But it is not easy actually. ​

Is D1FC purely a private venture ? what is the level of support from government?

​So far, we thank you to all goverment such as Kementerian Belia dan Sukan Negeri Sabah and Majlis Sukan Negeri Sabah, Sabah Tourism Board and Ministry of Tourism Sabah for recognise and supporting all the time since our 1st event.​

In your opinion , what is the standard or level of skills/talent of Sabahan & Sarawakian nak muay?

​At the moment, we know that Sabah has started a bit late... but from this platform, we are able to compete other fighter from outside already. This is proof from our 6th event previously.​

How many events are you targeting to organise per year?

​About 4 events in a year​

Will D1FC Rhino Invasion have Live feed?

Yup, we are considering from now on for live streaming especially for our fans all over the world​. Will keep you inform, check out our FB page to remain posted

Personally which fight are you looking forward to?

​The main fight for WMC-D1FC Title belt and D1FC title belt.​

What is the role of Dihnar Boxx Arena?

D1 Fighting Championship is owned by DIHNAR Boxx Arena. DIHNAR Boxx Arena is wholly own by DIHNAR Group of Companies​

You also support the local martial arts scene, such as JFL and the Karabaw team in MIMMA.
Do you plan to promote other martial arts in the future?

Yup as long as it's combat sports and football.​

What is your aspiration or objective for D1FC?

Our objectives is to make Malaysian proud for having a world level event like this in their home soil and hoping more fans will supports us in our future event be it in Malaysia or outside this country.

Thank you Tuan Haji Nazri for the opportunity to interview you. Warriors of Borneo wishes you and the organising committee a smooth and successful event

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Fight fans out there, treat youself to an action packed weekend. Go grab your ticket now while it's still available. 

The organisers also has cool limited design T-shirt available for the events, check out D1FC FB page to see how to order. 

Meanwhile stay tuned as I will post some interview of some of the feature fighters of D1FC The Rhino Invasions soon!!!