NINE BOUTS HEADLINE 1ST KOMBAT TAEKWONDO SHOWDOWN

April 5, 2025 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY

Nine bouts featuring Filipino fighters mostly Cordillerans eye wins over visitors in the traditional and real taekwondo event Kombat
Taekwondo on Friday at the Baguio Convention Center. Cordillera Career Development College coach Philbert Juanito leads the
Filipino charge in the 9-bout event co-presented by the city of Baguio. Juanito stakes his pristine 3-0 win slate when he battles the up and coming and exciting Low Hong Jak of Malaysia in the main event. In the co-main event, Johnwell Agalpao faces off against Raja Zulfadli of Indonesia in a featherweight match. Nurse-doctor Joanne Bognadon tests Brazilian Nathalia Dinis in a flyweight bout which is the first of the co-main event.

In the preliminaries, Theodore Botis faces Indonesian Daniel Bin Jumari also of Indonesia, while Yeil Sam Cancejo goes up against
Korean Go Sung Won. Angelo Requillo meets Indonesian Kasbani Bin Kasmon, while Neil Gaerlan and Bench Villafuerte are facing
each otherin an all-Filipino encounter. Kalinga pride Enrile Amangao clashes with Allan Dave Lana and University of Baguio standout Justine Fecsay opens the event with her meeting with Jannah Marie Lee in the first game. Kombat Taekwondo master Ruck Shin said the sport is like but unlike regular taekwondo. “(It is) Not what we learned. It is not Olympics or sports taekwondo that we see. We go back to its roots'” said master Rick Shin who promised a cash bonus to fighters with the most amazing win.

He added that winners could get a chance to fight in the world’s in Argentina in November and another in December somewhere in the
Caribbeans. He added that they are also trying to professionalize the sport, the biggest but unlike Muay Thai, kickboxing or mixed martial arts, have their FACE OFF. University of Baguio pride Justine Fecsay, right who opens the event with her meeting with Jannah Marie Lee of Nueva Ecija during the presentation and weigh in at the Baguio Convention Center Thursday. Background is local
taekwondo coach Dan Rey Velo.

Pigeon Lobien/ABN