Bad blood is expected to boil when Filipino fighter Mark Palomar faces a Chinese warrior in the Fight Night of the Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC) tonight at the Octopus Bar in Makati City.

After taking a break during the Covid-19 pandemic, Palomar will formally make his comeback in the mixed martial arts (MMA) stage when he collides with Darui Tang of Beijing in the heavyweight division.

Palomar appeared to be on track in building a successful career after posting a convincing win over Mark Gatmaitan on 11 January 2020 at Davao Urban FC Fight Night 17.

But the pandemic derailed his plans.

With that, he dabbled into the entertainment industry where he worked as a stuntman but still kept his doors open for a possible MMA comeback.

“I train everyday, and I do not miss any schedule, especially now. I am very thrilled and excited,” said Palomar, firing a warning shot to the Chinese who is making a debut in the MMA after polishing his skills at the renowned Catalan Fighting System Gym.

“He will eat my fist, and I guarantee that.”

Tang said he is confident with his skills and pulling off an upset isn’t impossible.

“I came here to learn. Thank you so much to my coach,” Tang expressed his gratitude to the Filipino gym owner in MMA legend Rene Catalan Sr.

“I will win my fight here and I will knock him out.”

The 31-year-old Tang was a former wushu sanda practitioner for 10 years with a record of 10 wins and three losses.

“It is going to be a great fight between two heavyweight warriors from the Philippines and China. It is going to be a thrilling heavyweight clash between two heavyweights,” the founding father of the Filipino MMA in URCC president Alvin Aguilar said.

Aside from the Palomar-Tang encounter, the explosive card will also feature the collision between Jacis Makasinag and Ezekiel Isidro in a bantamweight contest as well as the fights between Dave Valencia and Ferdinand Aquino in the strawweight division, and Cris Baguio and MJ Montealto in the lightweight class.

Fighting in the flyweight class are Jared Alzate versus Rocky Vergara, Ariel Oliveros versus Kenneth Maningat, and JR Alejandro versus Marvin Malunes.