Honorio “The Rock” Banario is officially back in the winner’s circle in ONE Championship — but it was a long and tedious journey to get there.
The 30-year-old overcame a tough test in Shannon “OneShin” Wiratchai at ONE: King of the Jungle on February 28. There, he walked away with a razor-thin split decision at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
From his improved conditioning to his upgraded grappling, fans saw a whole new Banario.
But for the man himself, it was the things outside the Circle that truly catapulted him to the win.
After losing in dominant fashion to Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki at ONE: Century Part II last October, “The Rock” vowed to never go through that again. He then reinvented himself over the next four months.
“It was a healthy process, going back to the featherweight division. The transition was seamless because it was a long process. I started with a disciplined diet, and thankfully I walked in there very healthy and I went home healthy as well,” Banario said.
Banario was the first World Champion from the fabled Team Lakay gym after he won the inaugural ONE Featherweight World Title over Eric “The Natural” Kelly at ONE: Return of Warriors in February 2013.
That moment seemed like a long time ago, as the Mankayan, Benguet native hit a wall not once, but twice, going through winless stretches in both the featherweight and lightweight divisions.
But Banario’s faith never wavered. He kept charging forward, and after revamping his game, he feels elated with the win.
“Coming from three straight losses again, I don’t think I can emphasize how big this was for me,” Banario said.
“If I lost here, who knows? This would have been the end of my career. So that’s the mindset that I have right now — come in with everything to lose.”
Regaining confidence, Banario plans to stay busy throughout the year. He hopes to get a spot in ONE INFINITY 2 in Manila this May, but he has a backup plan if that does not happen.
“Right now, it’s all about training continuously,” Banario said.
“Then if I don’t get a slot in Manila, I plan to compete in the Pan Asian Jiu-Jitsu Competition this April. I really want to improve my grappling.”
When asked who he wants to face next in The Home of Martial Arts, Banario declared that he is ready to take on all comers.
“I just won a match again. I don’t think I am in the position to demand anyone,” Banario said.
“I’ll just wait. I know ONE Championship knows what’s best for me. I’ll just have to be patient.”
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