When Lions Nation MMA unveiled its official roster during the inauguration of the Landslide Martial Arts Training Center in La Trinidad, Benguet, on Saturday, two notable names stood out from the lineup – Jeremy Pacatiw and Edward Kelly.
At the event, both men were seen standing shoulder-to-shoulder alongside Eduard Folayang, Kevin Belingon, Honorio Banario, and Joshua Pacio as members of the newly formed stable, confirming their departure from Team Lakay.
This left many speculating about the motives behind their bold move and the potential impact it may have on their careers.
In an interview with Tiebreaker Times, Pacatiw shared that his decision is primarily driven by his personal relationships with Folayang, Belingon, Banario, and Pacio, who all shockingly left Team Lakay back in March.
Photo from ONEFC.com
“I decided to join the team because they’re my seniors, and I’ve worked with them before. My relationship with them is extremely solid, so it’s easier to cope with one another while having a better understanding of each other,” Pacatiw stated.
For Kelly, a pioneer member of Team Lakay, his decision is rooted in the departure of the primary reason for his return to the group in 2015.
“I was a founding member of the team, but I had to take a break for four or five years. When I returned, the squad was already well-built. Because of them, I returned to the team full-time,” he recalled.
“When word got out that some of them were leaving, you naturally start looking for those familiar faces in the gym. I had to join them right away because I had been with them since the beginning.”
Kelly last saw action at ONE: Full Blast in April 2021 with a split decision victory over Ahmed Faress. And he believes that despite reuniting with his old pals, the system they are working towards will be fundamentally different.
It has been confirmed that Lions Nation MMA would bring in Prof. Gibran Langbayan and Don-Don Colas as its grappling and striking coaches, respectively.
Langbayan holds the distinction of being the first native of the Cordillera region to attain the rank of black belt and is an active competitor who has a collection of six gold medals, along with four silvers and two bronzes, across multiple international tournaments.
Meanwhile, Colas is a retired pugilist who has become a seasoned striking coach for both MMA and boxing.
At 39 years old, Kelly feels the switch to Lions Nation MMA offers him the chance to reinvent himself, both physically and mentally, and discover unexplored aspects of his abilities.
“As a fighter, you have to change so you can get better inside the cage. Speaking of venturing out, you also need to figure out how and where you can work on your game,” he mentioned.
On the other hand, Pacatiw is a rising bantamweight prospect under the ONE Championship banner, winning his most recent outing by choking out Tial Thang in the second round of their December 2022 fight at ONE 164.
“The Juggernaut” finds comfort in knowing that he is in excellent hands at Lions Nation MMA, where he has a solid support system and a crew of experienced coaches.
“I’ve learned so much with our new coaches and trainers,” Pacatiw remarked. “It’s really just all about teamwork. This is where we get to see how much we’ve improved because of this change.
“Plus, we’ve all seen four of the guys here in our camp become world champions, so I know they’ll be able to share a lot of their experience with me and help mold me into becoming an even better fighter. Hopefully, we’ll be able to have that chance to also fight for the belt soon.”
Kelly expressed unwavering optimism about the future of Lions Nation MMA, citing the remarkable level of hard work and dedication exhibited by its members.
“I’m also very excited to be here. We’re in a new team and from the beginning, we’ve always preached teamwork. That’s the one thing we’ve always held onto.”
