Beyond Expectations: A Night to Remember at BYON Combat Showbiz Vol.3

Usually, The Hawkeye team spends weekends visiting Jakarta’s premier bars and nightclubs through recommendations or occasionally visiting the Tennis Indoor Arena in Senayan to watch One Pride MMA, supporting local fighters and witnessing the progression of the local scene. However, last weekend, the spotlight in the combat sports world shifted to Yosua Marcellos’s celebration of combat, merging the world of combat sports and social media content inside the Tennis Indoor Senayan arena. The event featured an unforgettable showdown between Randy Pangalila and Jekson Karmella, and the return of Ongen Saknosiwi to the boxing ring left the casual crowd in awe.

BYON Combat Showbiz Vol.3 is labeled as “Indonesia’s first crossover combat sports event,” and it truly lived up to its billing. It was the first time in years we saw numerous content creators converge at a combat sports event. The last time we witnessed such a gathering of well-known personalities was probably when Raffi Ahmad fought on the Daud and Chris John card. It was refreshing to see combat sports as the center of attention that day.

The main event featured longtime martial arts enthusiast, actor, and musician Randy Pangalila defeating amateur Muay Thai athlete and influencer Jekson Karmella in convincing fashion. A fake roundhouse followed by a back kick stopped Jekson from getting up in the first round, sealing the victory for “Randpunk.” Karmella came out guns blazing in the opening seconds, unleashing a barrage of punches, kicks, and knees in hopes of finishing the fight quickly. However, Randy's toughness and calmness proved to be the winning factors. Randy Pangalila surprised everyone in the arena; known more as an enthusiast than a full-time fighter, he managed to defeat the real-deal athlete Karmella. But that’s the fight business—anything can happen when two people step into the ring. Randy announced his retirement from competing and went home with two belts: the ISKA National Kickboxing Belt and the BYON Combat Showbiz Belt.

In the co-main event, Laurend Hutagalung and Mike Simanjuntak delivered an entertaining “Big Men” brawl, ending with a controversial finish but ultimately, Laurend won by TKO.

Ongen Saknosiwi made a triumphant return to the boxing ring after a long hiatus, facing off against a surprisingly skilled Filipino fighter, Jay Francis. It was a close fight, with both fighters showcasing similar styles. Despite adjusting to a severe weight cut and battling ring rust, Ongen managed to secure a unanimous decision. Ongen was arguably the second highlight of the night, providing a fresh sight of Indonesia’s best boxer competing once again in a well-presented event.

Other bouts included Kkungke defeating Ghulba, Andi Cobra stopping Viki Calisrox, Mitra Edisyahputra defeating Don Soulaiman, and Surya and Hery making their big show debuts. Adam Machmud was supposed to fight Sabda Ahessa, but Sabda withdrew from the fight due to a medical issue.

Overall, the event was presented exceptionally well. We await the Pay-Per-View numbers and gate attendance, but honestly, last Saturday etched itself into local combat history. It was a young man's vision coming to life, dreaming of Indonesia becoming a hub for combat sports. Only time will tell if he can consistently deliver such events or, like many promoters before him, succumb to financial struggles and move on to other ventures.

For now, let us relish last weekend’s moments and continue to discuss them in the weeks to follow this summer season.