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Philippine mixed martial artist puts end to Indonesian's unbeaten streak
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Indonesian Stefer Rahardian (right) gets punched by the Philippines' Rene Catalan during a ONE Championship bout in Manila, the Philippines, on Friday. (ONE Championship/ONE Championship)
O
ne of Indonesia's rising stars in mixed martial arts (MMA), Stefer Rahardian, was defeated on Friday by Rene Catalan in Manila after three judges unanimously scored in favor of the Filipino during a ONE Championship strawweight bout.
Stefer, 31, who previously held a perfect 9-0 record, suffered his first ever defeat at ONE: Reign of Kings at the Mall of Asia Arena, despite putting up a strong performance that included a submission in the first round.
The two fighters exchanged strikes and grapples, but 39-year-old wushu star Catalan was too powerful for Stefer, as he showed better aggression and cage control.
"In the second round, he managed to capitalize on my mistakes, which should not have happened in an MMA match," Stefer told Indonesian reporters after the match.
He said he was disappointed over suffering his first ever defeat, but ensured that he was motivated to use the fight as motivation to take the next step in his MMA career.
"I accept the defeat and I learned a lot from it. I still have a long way to go," added Stefer.
