by Harley F. Palangchao
Former mixed martial arts flyweight world champion Crisanto Pitpitunge will make his debut with the Bahrain-based Brave Combat Federation in Amman, Jordan on March 2.
Pitpitunge, who has a rank of Police Officer 2 and the only active MMA fighter in the Philippine National Police, will face Vrave CF veteran Jalal Al Daaja in the bantamweight division.
Pitpitunge is the only Filipino MMA fighter booked for the Jordan event, which will be headlined by Brave CF featherweight world champion Elias Boudegzdame and challenger Jakub Kowalewicz.
The pride of Kapangan, Benguet last saw action in October 2017 where he scored a third-round technical knockout of Ralf Francisco in the main event of Team Lakay Championships in Baguio.
Pitpitunge, a former flyweight world champion with the Guam-based Pacific Xtreme Combat, now has nine wins and five losses while Al Daaja has four wins and three losses.
Pitpitunge is excited to face Al Daaja, who stopped Team Lakay’s Jeremy Pacatiw in Brave CF 9: Kingdom of Champion via first round TKO in November 2017.
The Igorot police officer hopes to follow the footsteps of Brave CF bantamweight world champion Stephen Loman, the first champion in Brave from Asia.
Like Pitpitunge, Loman was also a top contender in the PXC and he was once billed to fight for a world title. However, the fight was cancelled when his opponent was injured. Loman then decided to sign contract with Brave CF.