Team Spotlight: Fightworks MMA

Fight Works MMA with their head coaches Brandy Quiocho (bottom left) and Pete Brooks (bottom right)

Founder: Brandy Quiocho

Year Founded: May 27, 2012

Brandy is former MMA practitioner himself, a father of two lovely girls and a very considerate coach to his pupils.

Quiocho started training BJJ with fast-rising MMA lightweight prospect, Isaiah “Ice” Ordiz and Manny Jimenez. He and his buddies at first, tried some BJJ tourneys, until one day, he found himself in front of a computer searching muay thai techniques through YouTube. Brandy really researched everything from the basics of Thai boxing, from how to properly hold the mitts to other basic things that a beginner should learn in the awesome sport of muay thai. Of course, with the help of Ordiz, Brandy integrated their grappling skills with their newly acquired Thai boxing expertise.

After honing their striking and ground skills, they entered in several amateur MMA competitions until they met the URCC Cruiserweight champion, Pete “The Professor” Brooks, who helped them with a lot of things that are related to training MMA.

“I came up with the name “Fightworks” with the agreement from Pete Brooks. Fighters from our team were kids from the streets like “tambays” construction workers (Out of school youth). I simply ask them if they wanna be fighters, some stayed and became fighters but some did not and left because of the hard training probably.”

Being a head coach and a gym owner at the same time is very difficult, especially when you don’t have enough resources to sustain other expenses that might occur in the future and no one would like to support your fighters whenever they have an up coming fight. But despite of the hardships, Brandy, still, persisted and continued to train young fighters in San Pedro, Laguna, because he knows that changing someone’s perspective in life through martial arts is priceless.

“The main reason I continued as a head coach and orchestrator is for my young fighters na nakikita kong nagkaka silbi ang buhay, it became a passion and didn’t realize the program is being effective for the team.”

Fight Works MMA’s Top 5 Fighters:

1. Isaiah “Ice” Ordiz

Currently signed by Pacific X-treme Combat (PXC)

Record: 2-1

2. Ernesto Montilla Jr.

Currently signed by Pacific X-treme Combat (PXC)

Record: 2-1

3. Rolando Dy 

Currently signed by Pacific X-treme Combat (PXC)

Record: 3-2

4. Venson Delopre

Record (amateur): 3-2

5. Carlo Laurel

Record: 10-2

Other up and coming fighters:

Francis Gajita and Jhayson Alcantara.

(Fightworks MMA is located at Pacita Complex, San Pedro, Laguna.)

Fighworks MMA Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/fightworksmma

Team Lakay Championship 7 Showcases Top Talents From The Highlands!

The most dominant MMA team in the Philippines is staging another exciting Wushu Sanda and MMA show for the 7th time happening on April 27th at Baguio Convention Center, Baguio City, Philippines.

Click here to watch Team Lakay Championship 7 teaser!

This event, which started three years ago by none other than Team Lakay head coach, Mark “The Machine” Sangiao, has produced some world-class talents who are making huge waves in some of the biggest MMA promotions in Asia today like, Jerome Wanawan, Dario Banario, Troy Bantiag, PXC World Bantamweight Champion, Crisanto “The Slugger” Pitpitunge, Geje “The Gravity” Eustaquio and Dave “The Scarecrow” Galera.

The production of top talents from the highlands continues as Team Lakay hosts another championship, who will be headlined by Team Lakay’s own, Stephen “Sniper” Loman (2-0) and Fight Works MMA’s, Carlo Laurel. The said match-up will be at 129 lbs.

At 18 years of age, Loman is Team Lakay’s youngest rising prospect. This kid is physically and mentally strong. I’ve personally seen his past fights and I would say that this young lion is going to be the future MMA icon of the Philippines. Next Saturday, April 27th, he will be facing a very tough challenge when he exchange blows with Carlo Laurel.

We got no clue about Laurel, but one thing’s for sure, Fight Works MMA is proven to be the producer of some of the best MMA fighters in Laguna. FWMMA is the home of PXC lightweight contender, Isaiah “Ice” Ordiz, Ernesto Montilla Jr. and Rolando Gabriel Dy. So whenever a fighter comes out of that gym, expect that fighter to be as tough as nails.

Another Team Lakay versus Fight Works MMA match-up is set on April 27th at TLC 7 as Baguio’s own, John Cris Corton takes on San Pedro’s pride, Venson Delopere in a fight where I think, one fighter will get knocked or choked out.

Corton is a world-class Shotokan Karate fighter who has a very good timing and speed behind his strikers. Now that he trains with some of the best fighters at Team Lakay, we can expect a deadly fighter in this kid come fight night. Corton will face a tough challenge as he takes on an uber-talented Delopere.

The youngest of the Banario brothers will also be in action as Harold Banario goes up to face Muay Boran’s Johny Bitaga in a Wushu Sanda rules.

Here’s the complete fight card for Team Lakay Championship 7:

MMA Rules:

Stephen “Sniper” Loman (Team Lakay) vs. Carlo Laurel (Fight Works MMA) – l29 lbs.

John Cris Corton (Team Lakay) vs. Venson Delopere (Fight Works MMA) – 129 lbs.

Sanda Rules:

Harold Banario (Team Lakay) vs. Johny Bitaga (Muay Boran) – 62 kg.

Rizalino Olivar (Team Lakay) vs. Roy Dumar (UB Sanshou Team) – 60 kg.

Danny Kingad (Team Lakay, La Trinidad Gym) vs. Glen Fawagan (UB Sanshou Team) – 54 kg.

Jaime Langwawey (Team Lakay) vs. Miguel Amyao (UB Sanshou Team) – 56 kg.

Lemer Maximino (Team Lakay) vs. Eleazar “Pretty Boy” Mi-ing (Mongoose Team, Bontoc) – 52 kg.

Joshua Pacio (Team Lakay, San Fernando Gym) vs. Wilner “Tafungao” Lizardo (Mongoose Team, Bontoc) – 56 kg.

Ronel Capan (Team Lakay, San Fernando Gym) vs. John Erick Anyab (BSU Muay Boran) – 58 kg.

Edison Dangla (Team Lakay) vs. Steward Osting (UB Sanshou Team) – 63 kg.

Ticket Prices:

300 Php.

150 Php.

Check out Team Lakay’ Official Facebook Page for more info.