Team Lakay head coach Mark Sangiao and ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard Folayang (17-5) have been together through the good times and the bad.
With the first Team Lakay Gym in La Trinidad, Benguet opening in 2006, they made do with what they were given. Eventually as their stable grew, they were able to expand into Baguio City and La Union with Folayang helping out in coaching duties.
Folayang though had a rough 2012 to 2014, he lost three of his five bouts during that frame. His last loss was a devastating first round knockout loss against Timofey Natsyukhin at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, December 2014. It pained Sangiao to see his brother-at-arms down during that time.
But he never left Folayang’s side.
All throughout 2015, he helped rebuild the three-time SEA Games gold medalist. And after stringing together two wins, “Landslide” faced the biggest test of his life. Folayang passed the exam with flying colors, knocking out Asian MMA legend Shinya Aoki (39-7) to win the ONE Lightweight World Championship last Friday at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
And no one was more happy than his friend and mentor Mark Sangiao.
“Si Eduard, considered ko nang kapatid. And napakasaya namin. Di ko ma-explain. Kulang na lang umiyak kami nung in-announce yung result. I consider him my brother and masaya kami,” said “the Machine.”
“Hindi lang para sa team at sa pamilya kung hindi para din sa bansa.”
2016 has been a great year for the premier mixed martial arts gym in the country. The young guns of Team Lakay are maturing into their own while the mainstays are turning into contenders.
And Sangiao always emphasizes that he could not have done it without Folayang on his side. However, the Team Lakay mentor is not resting on his laurels with after winning their first world championship, knowing that they need to raise their game even more come 2017.
“Ang 2016, celebrate muna but with great power comes great responsibility.
“Ang problema natin ngayon paano mag-maintain at paano mag level up —- yun yung mahirap. Pero di tayo mag-stop. Let’s do our job. Naipakita naman na natin na kaya nating mag-produce ng world champion eh. Gawin pa natin yung dapat nating gawin,” Sangiao furthered.
