From Legend Fighting
Championship:
Local fighter aims to become Indonesia’s
first-ever international MMA title holder
Jakarta, February 22, 2012 (Wednesday) — Indonesia’s own Fransino Tirta
will attempt to make history as the country’s first ever international mixed
martial arts (MMA) champion when he takes on Japanese knockout artist Yusuke
Kawanago in the Legend Fighting Championship inaugural featherweight
championship March 30 at LEGEND 8 in the Plenary Hall of the Jakarta Convention
Centre, Senayan.
Tirta (1-0 Legend, 15-0-1 overall) trains with Indonesian ju-jitsu luminary
Niko Han and is the nation’s top-ranked MMA fighter. He has not lost a match in
his 8-year professional career. His 16-match undefeated streak will be put to
the ultimate test when he faces Kawanago (1-1 Legend, 8-3-1 overall), a highly
technical fighter who is one of the hottest featherweight prospects out of
Japan. Half of Kawanago’s pro wins have come by knockout.
LEGEND 8 also will feature a lightweight title fight, with Mongolian Jadamba
Narantungalag making his first Legend title defense against challenger Nam Yui
Chul of South Korea. Jadamba (1-0 Legend, 7-2 overall), who is ranked as
one of the top 20 lightweight fighters in the world, won the Legend lightweight
belt by split decision over Australia’s Adrian Pang at Legend 6 in October.
In his first fight in five months, he will match his powerful kickboxing
against veteran and fan favorite Nam (1-1-1 Legend, 13-1-1 overall), a former
Spirit MC welterweight champion who dropped to lightweight before his first
Legend fight.
In the bantamweight division, Yohan Mulia Legowo, the other Indonesian fighter
on the card, will face Sung Ming-Yen of Chinese Taipei. Legowo (1-1 Legend,
11-4 overall) has won national championships in MMA, sanda, kickboxing and
submission grappling and looks to improve his Legend resume over Sung (1-1
Legend, 2-1 overall), who trains out of Hsinchu’s TOUGH MMA.
“This is our first show in Indonesia and we have an Indonesian fighting for the
championship for the first time ever in international MMA,” said Michael
Haskamp, Legend co-founder and managing director. “Legend 8 will be a landmark
event.”
Legend 8 will include four undercard fights and six main card fights. Doors to
the Plenary Hall open at 5:30 p.m. and the first undercard fight will begin at
6 p.m. The main card will begin at 8 p.m.
Tickets will go on sale soon, please visit www.legendfc.com for more information.
LEGEND 8 will also be broadcast in 10 countries throughout Asia-Pacific and
North America. For more information, please visit www.legendfc.com.
About Legend Fighting Championship
Legend Fighting Championship (Legend) is the Asia-Pacific championship
of mixed martial arts (MMA). Legend invites champion mixed martial
artists from throughout the region to compete in a freestyle tournament using
interdisciplinary skills, including sanda, jiujitsu, muay thai, boxing and
wrestling. All Legend fights are supervised matches under a strict set of rules
designed to promote athlete safety and sportsmanship. Legend is committed
to promoting the sport of mixed martial arts in the Asia-Pacific, to supporting
and cultivating its athletes, and to providing exceptional entertainment to a
broad audience.
Based in Hong Kong, Legend is backed by CA Media, the Asia-Pacific investment
vehicle of the Chernin Group, and Diamond Ridge Ventures.
