Former ONE World Featherweight Champion Honorio “The Rock” Banario is set to return to the ONE Championship cage on April 15, 2016.
During that date, it will be exactly 1050 days since Banario last won a mixed martial arts bout.
Banario was 22 years old and on top of the world before making his debut with ONE Championship. At 5-0 he was one of the top prospect in the game.
After defeating Eric Kelly during ONE Championship: Return of Warriors to cop the ONE World Featherweight Championship, the Team Lakay featherweight has become one of the most dominating figures in the ONE roster. However, everything he had worked so hard for came crashing down three months after winning the belt.
The man who took his dream away was Japanese fighter Koji Oishi. In front of a jampacked SM Mall of Asia Arena, Oishi, with one solid shot, knocked out Banario to the shock of the crowd in attendance.
“Koji was very challenging. Two times, pareho yung nangyari. He was really a better fighter. It’s okay kasi lahat ng nakalaban ko high level,” Banario painfully reflected about the two matches he had against Oishi as both ended in a knockout loss.
“The Rock” was never the same ever since.
After losing to Narantungalag Jadambaa by unanimous decision back in May 2014, he was submitted Brazilian Jiujitsu prospect Herbert Burns during ONE: Warrior’s Way in Manila. Ten months later, he suffered another setback in a submission loss against Malaysian upstart Ev Ting in Malaysia.
With five straight losses but just 27 years young, The Rock shared that the entire journey he is currently in has helped him grow, not only as an athlete, but also as a person. “Natutunan ko dito is you have to be patient when approaching the fight. Don’t think too much coming into the fight kasi mawawala yung focus mo sa goal,” he said. “Dati kasi nag-rurush ako pagdating sa mga laban. Ngayon, I’m wiser as a fighter now.”
He then added that the fighters he faced, from Oishi to Ting, have all been formidable opponents. “Sa akin, kung binigay lang yung mga fighter na iba, siguro natalo ko sila. But yung mga nakalaban ko has more experience sa akin,” he said.
“I needed to level up and experience the things I experienced. It’s still not the end of my career because I am still young and still learning.”
Even in experiencing all these setbacks, defeats, and pains, he never thought of quitting the sport. “I didn’t think that way. It’s part of learning. When you win, you learn. It’s the same thing when you lose. I realized I have to learn a lot of things in martial arts. I will never give up,” the 27 year old Wushu expert shared.
Going into his bout against fellow Filipino Vaughn Donaire (8-4), he remains steadfast and positive as he is set to go up a weight division higher. “My mindset is 100% positive and confident for this coming fight,” he closed.
“Wala namang fighter sa MMA na undefeated. Only in boxing (will you see that). Pacquiao, one of the greatest fighters of all time, my losses din naman. Kaya sa akin, I’m just thinking positively and I needed to experience this.”
After 1050 days, Banario only needs that 15 minutes that hopefully can bring his career back on track.
