When Filipino martial arts veteran Richard “Notorious” Corminal walks into the Singapore Indoor Stadium on May 17, he will be competing for something more than himself.
Corminal will take on Rahul “Kerala Krusher” Raju of India at ONE: Enter the Dragon in Singapore, with the motivation of winning it for his 14-year-old daughter Sachiko, whom he only manages to see once a year.
The 37-year-old Corminal made the big sacrifice of moving to Malaysia on a full-time basis to be able to provide for his family – particularly his daughter. It is now his main motivation going into a critical juncture of his professional mixed martial arts career.
“It’s hard being away from your family, especially your daughter but those are the things that we need to do in order to provide a good life for them,” said Corminal.
“It’s for her. I want her to know that everything I do, I do for her.”
Corminal began as a restaurant waiter when he first got to Malaysia a decade ago. He then eventually found his way to Muayfit Petaling Jaya, where he became a full-time instructor – and later on, a competitor in The Home Of Martial Arts.
The struggle now for Corminal is homesickness. Though he’s lived in Malaysia for the longest time, he still isn’t used to it.
“As much as I want to go home to the Philippines and be with my family, I have to be practical and save,” said Corminal.
“All of my sacrifices here are for them. That’s why I am working double time and doing everything I can to get that win, so more opportunities will swing my way.”
While Corminal respects Raju’s abilities as an athlete, he has to set aside all respect and pleasantries, as he’s ultra-motivated to win one for his family.
“I trained for this for a year. I’ve been working non-stop to improve ’cause I’m determined to get my first win in ONE Championship,” said Corminal.
“I may not be with my daughter all the time, but I know that they understand that everything is for them.”
