Jean Claude Saclag, Carlos Alvarez assure Philippines of Asian Games MMA medals - GMA Network

MMA fighters Jean Claude Saclag and Carlos Alvarez are assured of Asian Games medals after winning their respective quarterfinal bouts on Sunday in Japan.

Saclag defeated Saudi Arabia’s Saud Fawaz Almolhem, 3-0, in the men’s traditional 65kg event to advance to the semifinals.

He will face hometown bet Daisuke Murayama in the semifinals on Monday, with a spot in the gold-medal match at stake.

Alvarez, meanwhile, defeated Indonesia’s Ananda Wahyu Setyo Prabowo, 3-0, to advance to the semifinals.

He will face Kazakhstan’s Yerkingali Burkutalin in the men’s traditional 77kg semifinals.

Gina Araos, however, fell to Thailand’s Kanjutha Phattaraboonsorn in the women’s modern 54kg quarterfinals.

The Philippines bagged its first medal of the Asian Games, a bronze from women’s soft tennis.