The scenery at the Team Lakay headquarters in La Trinidad, Benguet has undergone a drastic transformation over the past few months.
Six esteemed members of the legendary camp have decided to venture on a new path and eventually form their own stable.
Eduard Folayang, Kevin Belingon, Honorio Banario, Joshua Pacio, Edward Kelly, and Jeremy Pacatiw all came together to establish Lions Nation MMA. The group set up camp at the old Team Lakay gym located in the same town and refurbished it into the Landslide Martial Arts Training Center.
Amidst the changes in Team Lakay’s ranks, rising prospect Carlos Alvarez remains grateful for his former senior comrades’ invaluable guidance. He acknowledged their contributions to his growth as a mixed martial artist.
Alvarez, along with Jhanlo Sangiao, is part of a new wave of talent trusted with the duty of leading the group into the future.
“They say that we’re the more complete fighters because we’ve been training in multiple disciplines such as jiu-jitsu, wrestling, and other forms of striking early in our formative years. Our seniors back then had a role to play in our development,” he told Tiebreaker Times.
“Now that we’re in this position, it’s a really big deal for us to become the next standard-bearers of Team Lakay.”
The 24-year-old Baguio City native got a taste of what it was like to be at the forefront when he received the opportunity to make his promotional debut in ONE Championship last April.
Despite being relatively new to the pros with just a single win under his belt at the time, Alvarez earned a morale-boosting endorsement from his seniors.
“You can’t avoid having second thoughts, but our seniors have been saying that I’m ready to do it and I’m skillful enough to compete at that level,” he shared.
(C) ONEFC.com
His elders seemed to be right with their observation as he put forth a dominant performance, getting the job done in under ten minutes at the expense of fellow newcomer Reza Abasi by way of technical knockout thanks to his smothering ground game.
This July 14, “The Limitless” is scheduled for his second outing under the organization’s banner, facing another Iranian opponent in the name of Reza Saedi on the undercard of ONE Friday Fights 25.
Alvarez is optimistic about his future in the hands of head coach Mark Sangiao, as well as the constant mentorship that he receives from his brother-in-law and the lone veteran on their roster, Geje Eustaquio.
As Alvarez rises forward to fill the vacuum left by his ex-stablemates, he recognizes the enormous responsibility that comes with carrying on the Team Lakay legacy.
“For me, this is a really big challenge because there’s that pressure on us knowing that we’re the next guys up and we’re representing Team Lakay on the international stage,” he said.
“It’s a blessing for us too since it’s an opportunity for us to show what we’ve been preparing for.”
With the chance to take a huge leap in the highly-competitive featherweight division, Alvarez is determined to secure yet another emphatic victory.
“My goal here is to win and finish the fight as early as round one and, of course, get the bonus. I’m also looking to get the exposure I need to better my career from this bout,” he concluded.
ONE Friday Fights 25 will happen at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The event will air live on ONE Championship’s official Facebook page and YouTube channel at 8:30 PM.
