ONE Championship has come a long way since its inception in 2011, and Eduard Folayang is a witness to its rise from a start-up mixed martial arts organization to a global combat sports juggernaut.
On May 5 (May 6 in the Philippines), the Singapore-based organization will make a significant step towards solidifying its right to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other industry giants by hosting its first fight card in the United States.
ONE Fight Night 10 is set to take place at the 1stBank Center in Denver, Colorado, with a lineup consisting of 11 matches and featuring 22 individuals from 14 different countries.
Folayang, who headlined its inaugural event dubbed “ONE FC: Champion vs. Champion” against South Korean stalwart A Sol Kwon in September 2021, expressed his excitement about the promotion’s highly-anticipated debut on American shores.
“For those who don’t know it yet, I practically inaugurated ONE Championship. I’m very happy for the promotion. Add in the fact that they’re holding their first event here in the U.S. and I’m still here, it’s very fulfilling,” he told Tiebreaker Times.
“I’m so happy to see the entire promotion from its humble beginnings to the monster that it is now. There’s a sense of fulfillment on my part in the sense that ‘wow, I’m still here competing.’”
For Folayang, ONE Fight Night 10 is a must-see event due to its stellar lineup of matches.
The historic extravaganza is bannered by a trilogy fight between Demetrious Johnson and Adriano Moraes for the ONE flyweight championship.
Joining the marquee attraction are two more world title contests, with Rodtang Jitmuangnon defending his ONE flyweight Muay Thai belt against Edgar Tabares, and Mikey Musumeci putting his ONE flyweight submission grappling crown on the line versus Osamah Almarwai.
Also part of the monumental occasion is the long-awaited return of Sage Northcutt, taking on Ahmed Mujtaba in a three-round lightweight encounter.
Moreover, a talented roster of mixed martial artists is slated to showcase their skills on the undercard, including Roberto Soldic, Aung La N Sang, Kairat Akhmetov, and Stamp Fairtex.
Meanwhile, Filipina-American striker Jackie Buntan figures in a pivotal strawweight Muay Thai clash opposite Australia’s Diandra Martin.
“This card is stacked, honestly. I’m looking forward to every fight here, especially the trilogy fight between DJ (Johnson) and Adriano. That’s really the matchup that will carry the entire event. Beyond that, the card is really worth the watch, I’d say,” Folayang said.
With tickets to ONE Fight Night 10 reportedly sold out, “Landslide” feels that a return trip to the U.S. could be on the horizon.
“The card was well put together. It’s in ONE Championship’s hands how they can maintain the same level of quality as their first one. That’s why the May 5 event is going to be super important. I believe the entire U.S. will be closely watching the outcomes of the fights,” he stated.
Folayang is in his last week of training at the world-renowned Jackson Wink MMA Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico, alongside stablemate Joshua Pacio, and both men will be traveling to Denver to watch ONE Fight Night 10 live.
Although he will be enjoying the perks of being a spectator inside the 1stBank Center on May 5, the former two-time ONE lightweight titleholder hopes someday he will get the opportunity to perform in front of a passionate American audience.
“My dream is to someday fight here in the U.S. with this guy (Pacio),” Folayang quipped.
