REIGN IN POWER MMA CHINA : THE MALAYSIAN MIMMA CONNECTION

There's no doubt that martial arts is synonym to China. Being the birthplace of Shaolin Kung Fu, Tai Chi, Wushu Sanda and counteless other martial arts, it has become part of Chinese culture. With the growing popularity of MMA due to the influence of UFC, China is a market definately any MMA promotions would like to penetrate.

China has seen it's first MMA promotions in 2005 through Art of War Fighting Championship, Then came Legend FC, with it's first event  in 2010 at Hong Kong, which saw  Adrain Pang ( current ONE Championchip Lightweight stalwart ) draw against Yul Chul Nam of Korea. In 2011 Ranik Ultimate Fighting Federation (RUFF) enter the picture with it's first event in Shanghai.

Then in 2013, the big boy...UFC enter the game by producing The Ultimate Fighter China, which saw MIMMA Season 1 lightweight champion Allen Solomon Chong being the 1st South East Asian qualify for the selection. TUF China climax at the finale in Macau in 2014 with the main fight card of Dong Hyung Kim vs John Hathaway.

Allen during TUF China photoshoot

In Dec 2014, Asia MMA powerhouse, ONE Championship held Dynasty of Champions in Beijing, which saw a featherweight & flyweight tournament being organised and the emergence of China MMA star Li Kai Wen.

Kunlun Fight, primarily a Kickboxing promotions but they introduce MMA in April 2015. Rebel FC: The Promised One was organised in Qingdao in June 2015.  In Nov 2015, another global organisations, WSOF ( World Series of Fighting ) entered China by launching it's first WSOF Global Championship in Haikou.

But all the above are professional MMA promotions. There is still no local Chinese MMA promotions at amateur level,...till now, enter Reign in Power Fighting Championship ( RIP-FC ).

Reign in Power Fighting Championship ( RIP-FC ) has been formed to unearth local China MMA athletes. Aiming to give a platform to Chinese fighters  to perform and gain experience before moving to the pro field.

The RIP-FC press con in Sept annoucing the event

Their first event is on this Sunday 20 NOV at Kunming, the largest city in the province of Yunnan in southern China. This first event, named Decisive Battle will feature 12 bouts, 2 being pro fight cards.

The Malaysian MIMMA connection here is that the core operation & production team are from MIMMA Malaysia. Yes the people behind MIMMA are collaborating with Wu Jie Sports Development Company to organise, run and produce the show.

The success of Tune Talk's MIMMA since 2013 being the biggest and best run amateur MMA tournament has attract the interest of Chinese sports authorities. They are looking to replicate the same format in China. China with it's martial arts roots and countless martial artists present a huge pool of potential MMA talent. All they need is a tournament to perform and gain the much needed experience.

The MIMMA team is bringing 3 MIMMA fighters for RIP-FC's inaugural event. Reigning and 3 times Flyweight Champion Seah Zhang Yu of 3S MMA will be facing his toughest challenge to date in facing an experience Thai muaythai specialist.

Penangite Seah is on top form as he look to continue his 3 fight winning streak to 4. Seah also recently emerged champion in Optimum Nutrition: Show of True Strength, an exercise contest of fitness and strength.

Also fighting at Flyweight will see MIMMA season 3 Contender Fight Challenger Naimul Othman facing a Filipino muaythai stylist. Naimul has been active in 2016 participating in ONE Silat and most recently he lost a close match in a catchweight MMA fight in Jesselton Fight League. Naimul is fighting out of CTR313 & Monarchy MMA .

At Featherweight, Ridzuan Dahari, is fighting out of Kalai Bother Boxing will face American Cash Barnes of Team Quest Thailand. Ridzuan is MIMMA Season 4 semi-finalist with a 4-4-0 records.

Groomed by Eddey Kalai with great boxing, Ridzuan is a pro boxer. His most recent boxing match was at Singapore Fighting Championship 2 in the final of WBF Asia Pacific Light heavyweight title fight, which he lost to Sabahan Hisyam Sam.

Ridzuan is from Labuan. He left his home island to Kuala Lumpur when his mother pass away and has gone through lots of challenges in life. He use to hang out with Naimul when he was in his early 20s and they used to got into many street fights.

Martials arts in a way saved him and Naimul, as it instill discipline, respect and honour into their life. Furthermore Ridzuan felt it's better to fight in the cage as it's safer and get rewarded.



Another Borneon, Mohd Hasbullah Sanmin from Team Karabaw Keningau will also be feature, facing another Filipino in Flyweight. Hasbullah was MIMMA 4 Semi-Finalist. But in Sabah he has achieved much, being the Jesselton Fight League 2015 Bantamweight champion and Fight Fest 2 Super-4 Champion. He most recently won Fight Fest 3 Flyweight Superfight vs Joel Nickolson of Sabah Top Team with a ground and pound finish.

In the main event pro cards, Welterweight action will feature Glenn Sparv of Finland fighting out of AKA Thailand with a 12-4-0 vs American James Chaney. James fought in The Utimate Fighter 16 (2012) and was known for controversially biting his opponent in order to escape a choke.

In the 2nd pro card will see American Edmund Bordes vs Artur Taruharov. Edmund is muaythai specialist and a familiar face to Malaysian fight fans. He fought pro muaythai in D1 Fighting Championship and was in Sabah few months ago, training Brazilian Luta Livre under Antonio Battistessa at Sabah Top Team before he moved to KL to teach in  Gymba Muaythai.



Warriors of Borneo wishes all the Malaysian fighters all the best. Fight hard, fight smart, fight with all your heart.

All the best to the Malaysian fighters

Seah, Naimul & Ridzuan with the Malaysian team

Ridzuan & Naimul proudly showing their support to their sponsor RANGER

MIMMA fight photo team of YK Tang & Mahesan with Seah, his coach  Kenny Ng and MMA referee Isaac Yap

Showdown in Land Below the Wind: Naimul 'Convict' vs 'Good boy' Gadie

Fight fans, don't blink! Or you will miss out the actions in the highly anticipated JFL bantamweight bout between Naimul 'Convict' Amal vs Good Boy Gadie aka Clement John.

JFL will be featuring 12 bouts on 24 Sept 2016 at 1 Borneo Hypermall, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. 8 bouts of amateur fights will kick start before the main event bouts. Naimul vs Clement will be heading the amateur card.

Spotting a look close to Conor McGregor, but minus the hair and the trash talk, Naimul is a veteran in Malaysian MMA scene. Fought at featherweight in MIMMA season 1 way back in 2013, losing to eventual champion Keannu Subba in the semi-finals.

Hailing from Shah Alam, his teenage years was a time of teenage angst and hot hotheadedness. Venting his energy by getting involve in plenty of street fights, resulting in police catching him 3 times...hence the nick name 'Convict'. Naimul's interest in martial arts started early. He took up Silat in primary school. 

Progressing in high school to Taekwondo. Winning a silver medal in the school district tournament in 2005. That same year, he saw The Contender on TV, which sparks his interest in Boxing. He was inspired by the winner of The Contender Sergio Mora. 

He wanted a pair of Boxing glove so bad to start training, but he could not afford one. So the 'convict' did what a 'convict' need to...he took his father's money to buy one. Once he had it, it was raging bull from there and he started training like mad on his own. Later on, his brothers Dhiaaul and some other friends also trains with him, in his home's garage.

Fought his brother Dhiaaul Amal in MIMMA3: The Contender Fight

He won't forget his experience in MIMMA. Season 1 , in 2013, without much knowledge of MMA, but armed with his own martial arts experience he took it head on but lost to Keannu via rear naked choke. MIMMA season 2, he participated again. This time lost to eventual finalist Jenarten via armbar in the quarter-finals. MIMMA 3, he fought all the way to The Contender Fight. Meeting his own brother Dhiaaul. Naimul lost in round 2 via armlock.

Naimul in MIMMA . Pix credits to YK tang

Other than MIMMA, Naimul have beaten two Singaporean before. One in Singapore's Lion Fight League vs Charles Ferroa, and another one in Johor's Ultimate Beatdown, vs Mohd Faiz. With his amateur MMA experience he was offered to fight at ONE Silat as a pro and fought for the promotions three times.

The SILAT fighter

He used to train in Ultimate Malaysian Fighter under Sifu Aziz but after moving to Ampang he switch to Monarchy focusing on his BJJ with the help of Prof Bruninho, at the same time continue to sharpen his striking at CTR313 Muaythai with Awi Tok Shiekh. Currently, going back to his roots, he pick back up Silat, learning Silat Banji Harimau Selempang Merah under Master Tok Muda Ishak.

Turning 28 this year, married and is a loving father of two kids. Naimul is now more mature and has use martial arts as a positive element in his life. He works at Proton Edar as a Finance Executive in the Aftersales Dept.

Clement Johnny has this boyish innocent look. Born in the foothills of Sabah's Crocker Range, in a town call Tamparuli. His family and close friends fondly calls him Gadie. He loves football and actively play during his schooling years. Becoming Sabah state players for under 18 category a couple of times. 

Football, Clement's first love . Clement in front row far right

As an athletic kid, he eventually ended up in Team Karabaw gym. Met coach Vallerio Gumbilai. Started with basics martial arts, after training for 3 to 4 months, Vallerio can see the potential in Gadie and signed him up for his first Muaythai fight. Gadie performed well and reach all the way to the finals where he lost to a much more experience fighter.

Continue from there and Gadie trains harder and represented Sabah to Borneo Cup Muaythai Tournament in Sarawak and won a hard fought silver. He also participated in D1 FC Muaythai & won his fight. Gadie progress to learn MMA and in last year MIMMA3, he reached the quarter-finals losing to Joshua Khiew whom towers him by almost one head. This year after successful in the tryout of MIMMA4, he fought in Kuala Lumpur at the ladder match, but unfortunately was disqualified when his opponent was KO from an accidental knee to head.

Gadie also fought in 2015 JFL. Meeting Muaythai specialist Dean Hamsah in the Semi-Finals. It was a close fight and both fighters was pushed each other to the max but he lost by decision. He also fought in Warriors FC, Penang in 2015.

Only 21 this year, Gadie has plenty of admirer but he made sure love life didn't distract him from his studies. Completing his Diploma in Petro Chemical in Sarawak Polytechnic, he came home to Sabah after his studies. Not a person that is fussy with work, he took up a job as a auditor at Nielson in Kota Kinabalu.

With Team Karabaw-Tamparuli branch. Clement ( front 2nd from left) and Vallerio ( back, 2nd from right )

Gadie's family supports his interest. Even though being a momma's boy he is very independent. All his siblings are into sports. His brother also just took up martial arts with Vallerio, after a brawl during a football match which he felt he need to learn to protect himself. Gadie himself at times can't avoid this type of brawl as opposing team are sometimes very hot headed and immature, but armed with his martial arts skills, he's able to keep himself injury free...maybe injuring some hooligans along the way.

According to Vallerio, Gadie has good timing and have great combo strikes. Vallerio is a karate stylist and they have devise a strategy to counter Naimul's charge using karate footwork.

Clement feels comfortable with this weight cut, even though he has to cut near to 8 kg. He has been eating boil egg and chicken for two weeks and drinking only plain water. He has been looking forward to eat "Mi Goreng Tuaran" after the weight cut.

Judging from the heated face-off, both are eager to strike. Will this be technical war when this two strikers meet? Or will emotion come into play and they end up having a slug fest, either way this bantamweight match promise plenty of explosive action. 

Catch their fight at JFL, 24 Sept 2016. The venue is 1 Borneo Hypermall,...now that it's free entrance don't give yourself excuse not to come!

All the best to both fighters,...give us a Fight of the Night!