With a professional record of 5-2, the Philippines’ Rolando Dy has been quietly amassing a reputation in the Asian MMA circles, so you can be forgiven if his name does not a ring a bell.
Having been with the Pacific X-Treme Combat since 2011, Dy is 4-1 under the promotion’s banner and is currently riding on a three-fight winning streak, defeating Arex Montalban, Guamanian talent Kyle Reyes and most recently, South Korea’s Han Bin Park.
Dy was eventually rewarded for his immaculate run, with officials placing the 23-year-old in a match-up opposite Kyle Aguon (7-4) for the vacant Bantamweight Championship strap at PXC 45 next month. Suffice to say, this will be Dy’s sophomore appearance in a title fight, after the launch of his career in 2011.
But here’s the thing – plenty of people would have probably asked Dy if he’s now a fighter because of his father.
And that stands to good reason.
Dig a little into Dy’s personal background and the last name ‘Navarette’ might tinker one’s fight knowledge. Dy’s biological father, Rolando Navarette, is one of the Philippines’ profound Boxing royalties, who was once ranked the ninth best Super Featherweight Champion in history by the World Boxing Council.
Simply put; before Manny Pacquiao, there was Rolando Navarette. Navarette was a well-decorated Boxer in the 80’s and was regarded as one of the Philippines’ top draws, with 20 knockouts in his first 52 professional bouts. He even went toe-to-toe with legendary champ Alexis Arguello, although he suffered a TKO setback in that outing.
Navarette’s defining moment came in 1981 though, when he garnered the WBC Super Featherweight title. Highly publicized fights against the likes of Choi Chung-Il and Rafael Limon have since etched Navarette in the Filipino combat history books.
So while Navarette’s legacy as a boxer seems to be in check and cemented, his son, Dy, might just be looking to follow his father’s footsteps.
Must be cool, one would think. However, Dy chose to include his mother’s maiden name instead of his father’s to honor her efforts and hardship of raising him and a sibling by herself.
Dy recollected that he didn’t have his father’s guidance and encouragement growing up, but still developed the interest and impetus to compete.
“Even if I was not raised on my father’s side, it was my dream to be a boxer ever since,” he told Rappler.com. “I knew I had the talent, but I just haven’t developed it back then.”
As one would expect, naturally, Dy started off as a Boxer before a detour encouraged him to have a go at Mixed Martial Arts. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was the first form of grappling he ever did and in time, Muay Thai and Wrestling took precedence. After a series of amateur appearances, Dy made his pro MMA debut at a tender age of 19 in October 2011, scoring a second round TKO triumph. The bright lights of PXC came calling just a month later, and he has started carving a name for himself ever since.
He has thus far flourished. And while his father’s abilities to deliver blows against an opponent have been past on to him, the next opportunity for Dy would be to match or surpass his father’s namesake.
And he’ll get that opportunity on October 24th, when he fights for the title in Guam.
Click here to check out the full fight card for PXC 45.
Credit: Pacific X-Treme Combat
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