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The Philippines and Vietnam need to counter Beijing’s actions in the South China Sea and protect their territories, an Australian analyst on political and security issues in Southeast Asia said.
Mixed Martial Arts Madness
![[AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE]](/shared/images/2012/01/01/punch.jpg)
[AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE]
Despite a few false starts, Asia, the home of martial arts, seems ready to take on the best in the world of modern mixed combat.
When Bae Myung Ho raised the Legend Fighting Championship welterweight title belt in July 2011, he showed it to his fans. Then the South Korean mixed martial artist went straight for the cameras. Bae fought in front of about 1,500 people in a Macau casino — but an estimated 150 million households worldwide watched on TV.
Mixed martial arts incorporates everything from Brazilian jiu-jitsu to judo, wrestling, karate and Muay Thai kickboxing. There are rules, of course, including no eye gouging or blows below the belt. Pretty much everything else goes.
“It’s a sport where athletes can draw on the best from so many sports from this region, and they now have a chance to show them to the world,” said Legend co-founder Chris Pollak.
Agence France-Presse
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