Legend Fighting Championship will return to Macau, China with an intriguing match-up featuring Adrian Fok, 28, of Hong Kong and Chen Jie of China. They will battle it out at “Legend FC 13” on September 14, 2019.
Taking place at the MGM Theater in Macau, “Legend FC 13” marks Fok’s Legend FC debut. In his first experience to compete inside the promotion’s cage known as BaFang, he will face a Chinese grappling sensation, an opponent he is not taking lightly.
Training out of Crocodile Fight Club in Chongqing, China, Chen brings a solid Brazilian Jiu Jitsu background and will have a slight advantage in the striking department. This was evident when he competed in the bantamweight tournament at “Legend FC 12” in 2018, making his way through to the final.
“This match I’ll combine my striking and grappling skills,” Chen said. “My opponent is strong on the ground and I look forward to that challenge if he makes it past my stand up.”
But Fok believes he has a stamina and strategy advantage and will look to end the fight early. He noted, “I know my opponent has a similar style and physique to me so it’s a great matchup.”
“I can’t really say what’s going to happen but I don’t think it will end in a decision,” Fok continued. “That I can promise.”
After years of dabbling in various martial arts from Sanda to grappling and eventually Muay Thai, Fok made his professional MMA debut in 2015. Over his career, the flyweight standout has proved to be a formidable striker and someone who likes to apply early pressure and hunt for a knockout, which was exactly what happened in November 2018 when he finished his opponent with a stunning first-round technical knockout.
Fok will be looking to keep that momentum rolling into “Legend 13,” an opportunity he is not going to let slip. He said, “Legend has been a breeding ground for some of the original UFC fighters in Asia and I want to grab this opportunity and see where it takes me.”
Leading up to “Legend FC 13,” Fok has been locked away honing his skills with Versus Performance. With just a few weeks out from his debut, he says he has never been more ready to walk away with the win.
“The training has been constant,” Fok shared. “My technique is good, my conditioning is solid and I’m really just refining everything. I’m feeling really confident. It’s going to be a great fight.”
Growing up in Hong Kong and committing to a life of professional fighting is not an easy task, especially in a city that encourages a career in finance over professional sport. But for Fok, it is something that runs much deeper.
“My family is from Hong Kong and as a Hong Konger, martial arts has always been ingrained in our culture,” Fox explained. “It’s a way for me to express myself and it allows me to create a better version of myself.”
“Without competition and without the fear of competition life gets a little boring,” the Hong Kong native continued. “The fear of competition keeps me sane.”
The timing of Legend FC’s return to Macau comes as a new wave of MMA sweeps through North Asia and the emergence of top training facilities and access to coaches has seen the industry go from strength to strength in recent years. Fok is hoping that a win in Macau will bring some much needed attention to Hong Kong as a martial arts hub.
“The region has a lot of good athletes, good gyms and good coaches,” Fok pointed out. “I hope that by having a strong performance in Macau I can bring some awareness to Hong Kong as a martial arts hub.”
Much of the attention will naturally be focused on the main event of “Legend FC 13,” which is between Chinese fighters Liu Lian Jie and Yuan Chun Bo. Still, Fok is quietly preparing to showcase the best of what Hong Kong has to offer.
The full lineup for “Legend FC 13” will be announced shortly. Ticket information for the upcoming Legend FC event in Macau is available at www.tickets.mgm.mo.
For more updates on Legend FC, please visit www.legendfc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook.
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