Team Lakay’s due diligence pays off as Folayang flies to SG

Mark Sangiao kept his wards busy with home workouts during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in case any opportunities sprung up — and his insight paid off.

Team Lakay’s Eduard “Landslide” Folayang will fly to Singapore to take on Antonio “The Spartan” Caruso on the undercard of ONE: Inside the Matrix on October 30 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. The former ONE Lightweight World Champion believes he’s ready to go thanks to his coach’s discipline.

“We’re prepared. We’ve been training for this since March,” Sangiao said.

“We focused on home training so we didn’t lose our conditioning. These athletes focused on their own home workouts before they were allowed to return to the gym.”

It was challenging to remain motivated during the lockdown, especially with no light in sight for sporting events. Still, they kept on, knowing that ONE Championship would eventually resume action.

And they did call, eight months later. Now Team Lakay are about to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

“It was really a tough situation, but since this is our passion, we had to think of alternatives. We had to find a way,” Sangiao said.

“We devised some plans during those days, like if you came from one place with your teammates, you should stick with one another when going to another place. Then I advised them to just stick with the routine of home to gym and gym to home.”

Because they were ahead of schedule, Folayang will now fly into Singapore in the best shape one can possibly be in despite the pandemic.

“I think all-in-all we’re 90 percent ready. Just 90, because there’s still more than a week to go until fight night, and we have to remain prepared until then with our game planning and all,” Sangiao said.

“But I feel like Eduard is 100 percent ready. He’s ready physically, mentally, and spiritually.”

ONE Championship returns to action with four World Title matches at ONE: Inside the Matrix on October 30 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.