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Fil-American MMA fighter and Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Mark Striegl will finally make his UFC debut on Sunday, October 18 (Manila time) on Fight Island on the UFC Fight Night: Ortega vs. Korean Zombie in Abu Dhabi. It was scheduled to debut in August, but a positive Covid-19 test kept it away from the competition.
Now fully recovered, Striegl (18-2-1 NC) of Baguio City will make his UFC debut against Russian Said Nurmagomedov (13-2), a three-fight UFC veteran.
Mark was born in Japan and it was there that he started playing combat sports and fell in love with MMA. In Tokyo, he trained with the famous Wayjutsu Keishukai GODS Gym under champion Yuji Hoshino. Throughout his career thus far, Mark competed in many Asian MMA promotions, including becoming the URCC Featherweight World Champion.
Mark has been residing with his family in Baguio, but for his UFC debut, he did his fight camp at Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas with many UFC athletes as training partners.
“I would like to thank Ruby Sports and the UFC for giving me this opportunity and quick turnaround after hiring Covid and canceling my original debut,” Striegl said. “I am very excited to fight on October 17 at Fight Island in Abu Dhabi. I know Said is a tough opponent, he is a great fighter and this is going to be a war. I will do my best.”
Striegl won the gold medal in the sambo competition at last year’s 30th Southeast Asian Games hosted by the Philippines. He was also once a URCC Featherweight World Champion.
