Pinoy Pride and Honorio Banario

Honorio Banario is both excited and relieved. Only he is not showing it. He’s as cool as a man inside the air-conditioned confines of a five-star hotel and away from the scorching summer heat.

It’s going to be a long day at the Manila Peninsula where Banario and Team Lakay mates Eduard Folayang and Kevin Belingon are doing one-on-one interviews with the media from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

However, it’s fine with all three.

“Kailangan ‘to para lalong lumakas yung MMA (This is needed for MMA to be stronger),” reasons Banario. “Baka sakali makatulong din ‘to sa amin financially (It might also help us financially).”

The night of May 31, 2013 will be the second biggest night of Honorio Banario’s life.

The first time was last February 2 at Kuala Lumpur when he defeated compatriot Eric Kelly for the One Fighting Championship featherweight title. It’s a nice addition to the lightweight championship belt he carries from the Universal Reality Combat Championship.

His life has changed a bit since that cold day in February when he brought home that championship belt. Now, more people know him and there’s a little change in the lifestyle as it has brought in a little more money.

With the URCC sparingly staging events, Banario and his Team Lakay stablemates are grateful for the opportunities given them by the One FC.

“Global na yung stage namin at may chance mag-travel,” beams the champ.

The second biggest night of Banario’s life is a few weeks away. That’s during the upcoming One FC: Rise to Power event at the Mall of Asia Arena. He is excited because he will be headlining his second ever fight and making his first title defense at the same time. Only this time it’s on home soil and he is relieved that he won’t have to fight another Filipino.

“Kapag inisip mo yung pinagmulan namin lahat – mga small venues tapos sa mga arena sa ibang bansa tapos Araneta Coliseum kung saan ginawa yung Thrilla in Manila; ngayon sa MOA Arena, umaangat na yung MMA. Malaking karangalan mapasama rito (If you come to think of it, where we started – from small venues to arenas in other countries then to Araneta Coliseum where Thrilla in Manila was held; now it’s at MOA Arena, MMA is progressing),” he said.

In his One FC debut in February of 2012, he lost to Korean Bae Young Kwon in the first round. His next two One FC fights – both wins – were against Filipinos.

“Mahirap din kapag kalaban mo kapwa Pilipino (It’s also hard to fight a fellow Filipino),” says the 23-year-old Banario. “Pero trabaho lang. Hindi mo pwedeng isipan kasi na kababayan mo ang kalaban mo (But it’s just business. You can’t think twice just because you are fighting your countryman).”  

Now he’ll be up against Japanese Koji Oishi, a Pancrase veteran with a record of 23-9-10 but is coming off a draw against Takumi Nakayama.

What the 35-year-old Oishi will bring to fight night is a lot of experience and a stand up game where he likes to deliver telling kicks and punches.

“He fights just like me,” observed Banario.

Even if the stand-up game is Banario’s strength, he cannot help but think about fellow Team Lakay fighter Eduard Folayang, who lost to wrestler Lowen Tynanes.

“Kailangan marami akong matutunan na skills. Yan yung kagandahan ng MMA kasi iba’t ibang fighting disciplines yung makakatapat mo. Learning experience para sa amin lahat ‘to (I need to learn a lot of skills. That’s the beauty of MMA because you’ll go against fighters with different disciplines. It’s a learning experience for all of us),” he explained.

May 31 will be Banario’s first title defense since winning the featherweight championship. He plans to go home that night a winner. And he’s doing it for Pinoy Pride and honor.

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Tickets for One FC: Rise to Power on May 31 are exclusively available at Casino Filipino outlets nationwide. Refer to www.onefc.com/tickets for details.

Fans from around the world can witness the action online via live streaming at www.onefc.livesport.tv.

The first three undercard fights are available for viewing free-of-charge and the main card fights will be available for purchase at just US$9.99.

One FC: Rise to Power is headlined  by a ONE FC world featherweight championship bout between reigning champion Honorio “The Rock” Banario against number one contender Koji Oishi and pound-for-pound king Bibiano Fernandes taking on Koetsu Okazaki for the ONE FC interim bantamweight title.

All the action takes place live from the MOA Arena in Pasay City.