KUAM.com-KUAM News: On Air. Online. On Demand.Melchor Manibusan training for Dream 11 in Japan

Melchor Manibusan training for Dream 11 in Japan

by Jerome Unpingco

In MMA news, local trainer and veteran Melchor Manibusan is in Japan, where he is gearing up to face the world's fifth-ranked fighter, Tatsuya Kawajiri, in Dream 11.  KUAM Sports caught up with Manibusan, for an insight of his upcoming fight.

"Basically here at Crazy Bee," he said.  "Its high level training over here, very high level jiu-jitsu, I've been training with a lot of black belts, they are helping me with my ground, we have an awesome Thai mitt holder, working my standup, we have very good boxers, they are helping me clean up my boxing and helping me out with my footwork, so I can move with this guy, because this guy is big and strong.

"So I'm going to have to stick and move and play the outside game. At Nori's Gym, we have a hyperbaric chamber and all and an awesome equipment room, and I've been hitting that up. I'm about 4 kilos away, about 8 pounds, which is not a problem for me now, because I'm training twice a day and I'm killing four to five pounds each session, so my cut won't be so bad. I'm fighting in Dream 11 on October 6 at the Yokohama Arena, which is estimated at 14,000-15,000 people."

He explained that Dream is known to be Japan's number 1 mixed martial arts event, they have the top fighters and have the highest pay in Japan.  He continued, "I'm very honored to be apart of this show. I'm fighting Kawajiri, Tatsuya Kawajiri, I think he is ranked 5th in the world right now as far as lightweight, he is very good, he is a shooto champ, very big, very strong, he has fought and beaten a lot of the best in the world, I'm very honored to be stepping into the ring with him, I'm hoping and I'm looking for a win, no doubt I'm training my butt off right now, I'm going to take it to this guy and i want to secure this 'w' for reals, more so for my career, I've been in the game for awhile.

"But this is where my career begins, I'm looking at a lot of good things after this fight, I'm going to renegotiate with dream and move down to 55 kilograms, I'm way too small for 70 kilograms, the only thing got going for me right now is my heart."