FORMER ONE Championship fighter Roel “Akiyama” Rosauro is back in the limelight as he sees action in a four-man MMA tournament in Centurion FC (CFV 13) Rex Orientem at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Parañaque City on July 21, 2023.
Rosauro, a native of Camotes, is facing Brazilian veteran Eduardo Souza in the semifinals.
“I’m very excited for this because this is the first to try in this type of fight,” Rosauro, who fights out of Survival MMA Fitness Hub, told SunStar Cebu. “I’ve seen his fights. He just recently won his fight in CFC last March.”
The 37-year-old Souza fought last March 15 in a CFC show in Dubai. He beat fellow Brazilian Alexandre Ribeiro by unanimous decision.
Rosauro last fought in pro MMA in 2021. He lost to American James Yang in the second round.
The 35-year-Rosauro fought four fights in ONE Championship from 2018 to 2021. He went 1-3, in which his only win was a unanimous decision over Yohan Mulia Legowo.
“In his last fight, he was striking. But he’s a Brazilian so I’m expecting that he’s very good in grappling. I will pick my strikes wisely,” said Rosauro, who’s known for his striking prowess.
Rosauro is 5-4 with three wins by stoppage, while Souza is 16-5-1 with six wins by knockout and also six by submission.
The other fight in the four-man tournament is between Pinoy Red Romero and Bolivian Leonardo Rodriguez.
Romero, the former URCC featherweight champion, is looking to end a losing streak. He last fought on April 21 and lost to John Brewin by a third-round Von Flue choke in Indonesia.
Rodriguez won his last five contests and is coming off a first-round knockout of Rodrigo Almeida last year in Brazil.
Romero is 12-11 with six wins by knockout and four by submission, while Rodriguez is 6-1 with six stoppages.
The winner of the two bouts will face each other on the same night for the tournament title. (EKA)