Category: Sports

American fighter Will Chope stakes his Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC) interim welterweight championship against Filipino Brian Paule in the main event of “URCC 85: Underdog” at DD Night Club in Quezon City on June 2. For Chope, it is more than just a title defense. He is looking for payback for his loss to Paule six years ago. “It is nice to win against him because I get to avenge my loss to him when we fought in an exhibition match in 2017,” said Chope, who boasts a 41-19 record. Like Chope, Paule has also blossomed in mixed martial arts (MMA) since that bout, now sporting an 8-1 record. ‘I will get the interim title from him for sure,’ Paule said. ‘It’s a mission on my part to get the title back for the Filipinos. URCC title is for Filipino fighters. And I want to prove to anyone that I can beat him again.’ URCC, the premier MMA organization in the Philippines, was founded in 2002 by Filipino martial artist and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner Alvin Aguilar. In the preliminary fights, Rhyle Lugo meets Richard Lachica in a featherweight bout and Tokartzhy Ushqyn squares off with Dave Morata at lightweight, while the bare-knuckle featherweight division will pit Gerard Sismundo and Dan Ascano. For the Philippines MMA Federation, Jerald Vellarde clashes against John Vallega at lightweight; Jessa Sarabia collides against Catherine Soria in the women’s strawweight category; Tristan De Mena fights Shidjiroh Delantar at light heavyweight; and for amateur MMA, Paolo Cruz faces Gemil Clarinio at bantamweight.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The 32nd Southeast Asian Games came to an end on Wednesday night, with Vietnam ranking top place in the medal tally and Thailand announced as the next host of the region’s biggest sports competition.

Addressing the closing ceremony at Morodok Techo National Stadium, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen noted that the success of the games is part of the spirit of solidarity, understanding, friendship and integration in the region.

The games brought together over 8,700 athletes, coaches, and delegates from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.

Vietnam ranked top in the medal tally winning 136 gold, 105 silver and 118 bronze medals. Meanwhile second place Thailand won 108 gold, 96 silver and 108 bronze medals, and Indonesia managed to secure 87 gold, 80 silver and 109 bronze.

The host Cambodia concluded the games with 81 gold, 74 silver and 127 bronze medals.

Laos finished ninth out of eleven places in the medal tally with six gold, 22 silver and 60 bronze.

Source: Lao News Agency

Thailand is confident that it will host a successful 2025 SEA Games in three localities – Bangkok, Chonburi and Songkhla – from Dec 9-20, 2025, according to Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT).

Governor of the SAT Gongsak Yodmani said at a conference on May 16 in Phnom Penh that all preparations are in place to ensure the 33rd edition of the biennial Games will run smoothly.

Over the past 30 years, Thailand has hosted three major sporting events, including the SEA Games 18th in Chiang Mai (1995), the Asian Games 8th in Bangkok (1998), and SEA Games 24th in Nakhon Ratchasima (2007).

Vice president of the Southeast Asian Games Federation Dato Seri Chaiyapak Siriwak affirmed that the SEA Games 33 will be organised in accordance with international standards. The event will include most of the sports in the Olympic and ASIAD systems.

During the closing ceremony of SEA Games 32, the current host country will hand over the games flag to Thailand, the next host country.

Source: Lao News Agency

Vietnamese fencers on May 15 won a gold medal in the men’s sabre team event at the ongoing 32nd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 32) in Cambodia after defeating the Singaporean team 45-31.

Meanwhile, the female fencing team including Luu Thi Thanh Nhan, Pham Thi Ngoc Luyen, Ha Thi Van Anh, and Nguyen Thi Thu Phuong won silver in the women’s foil team event after losing to Singapore in the final with a score of 25-43.

The same day, weightlifter Dinh Thi Thu Uyen bagged a silver medal in the women’s 64kg category.

Earlier on the day, the Vietnam e-sport team brought home a silver medal and a bronze one.

SEA Games 32 is held in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Preah Sihanouk, Kampot, and Kep in Cambodia from May 5 and will be closed on May 17./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency