Over the years, the young guns of Team Lakay have looked up to Eduard Folayang as a source of inspiration. But now, he is looking to them for motivation to cap his redemption tour.
Folayang, who turns 34 on Thursday, looks to slay the ghost of his last loss in Manila while putting an emphatic end to Team Lakay’s golden year on Friday, November 23 during ONE: Conquest of Champions. He takes on a familiar face in Amir Khan for the vacant ONE Lightweight World Championship – yes, the same gold he lost in Manila back in 2017.
“Masayang masaya ako. It’s the place where I lost the belt and [being] given the chance to redeem myself in the same place is big,” expressed Folayang, who is 20-6 in his prizefighting career. “It has a lot of difference. You need to do your very best again to claim what was lost.
“The opportunity was here, I’m one-hundred percent ready to get it.”
During Legends of the World, Martin Nguyen silenced the packed SM Mall of Asia Arena when he knocked out Folayang to become the promotion’s first two-division champion.
Since then, Team Lakay has stood up for him.
Geje Eustaquio started it all off by stunning Adriano Moraes to unify the Flyweight Championship back in June. Joshua Pacio followed up with a masterful performance against Yoshitaka Naito to bag the Strawweight crown. Then just 11 days ago, Kevin Belingon eked out a split-decision win over Bibiano Fernandes to become the Bantamweight kingpin.
“I’m so happy for my teammates dahil naging magnada yung progress nila.
“Pagkatapos ko makuha yung belt nung 2016, naging inspiration yun for them to reach yung dreams nila,” said Folayang, one of the elder statesman in the Lakay camp. “So ayun, I’m happy for the progress of the team. As one of their seniors I never stopped improving also in areas na kung saan kailangan pa mag-improve.”
For his part, Folayang has sought improvements as well. First, he strung together straight wins against previously-unbeaten Russians. Then the Baguio-native also went stateside to train with renowned gym Jackson MMA.
And for the last stage of his run, he faces Amir Khan – the same person who halted the five-fight winning streak of Honorio Banario.
But Folayan isn’t looking for redemption, though. The living Philippine MMA legend just wants to put on a show.
“We are here in MMA for a very long time, and I think I need to adjust myself. The more na ina-allow mo yung pressure na kainin ka, it will make you uneasy, and you wont be able to give your best,” said Folayang, who is looking to be the first-ever two-time ONE Lightweight World Champion.
“Giving the best is the biggest thing for me. Yung pressure andun, pero turning that into motivation will make a lot of difference.”
