MANILA, Philippines -- A third Filipino and a former Ultimate Fighting Championship star was recently included as an added spice to the already loaded ONE Fighting Championship: Rise to Power slated on May 31 at the MOA Arena in Pasay City.
Eduard Folayang, a former Southeast Asian and Asian Games gold medal winner who fights out of Baguio-based Team Lakay, will be back in action following a successful United States trip where he honed his ground-and-pound and takedown skills as he squares off with veteran Kamal Shalorus.
The 28-year-old Folayang is seeking no less than a victory following a painful defeat at the hands of American Lowen Tynanes via TKO (doctor stoppage) in the URCC 22: Dekada in December last year that sent him to his third defeat against 12 wins and back to the drawing table.
Folayang, who is a local legend in the sport wushu, though will come in ready this time as he has trained well in the US where he acquired some takedwon defense and grappling techniques that he will be useful when faces off with Shalorus, an Iranian known as a resilient submission specialist.
And Folayang is expected to be one of the Filipinos fighting on the ONE FC tilt, considered as the biggest fight outfit in the Asia-Pacific, with Honorio Banario and Kevin Belingon being the other two.
Honorio Banario, who has won eight of his nine fights on the MMA cage and owns the distinction as the first Filipino ONE FC champ, will defend the featherweight title he won by beating countryman Eric Kelly in ONE FC: Return of Kings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last February as he tackles a dangerous Koji Oishi of Japan.
Belingon, for his part, clashes with dangerous Masakatsu Ueda of Japan in the Bantamweight Grand Prix finale where the winner will earn a title crack at either reigning champion Soo Chul Kim of South Korea should he recovers from the recent shoulder injury he sustained or for the interim title that will be contested by Brazil's Bibiano Fernandez and Japan's Keotsu Okazaki.
Baroni, who wowed the Filipinos with smashing knockout win over Brazilian Rodrigo Ribiero in ONE FC: Pride of Nation at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum last year, will be back as he tangles with knockout artist Nobutatsu Suzuki of Japan in a match expected to be as explosive as the last time.
“I’m beyond excited to see Honorio Banario back in action in front of his home crowd at the state-of-the art Mall of Asia Arena," said ONE FC chief Victor Cui, a Fil-Canadian.
"Bibiano Fernandes taking on Koetsu Okazaki has all the ingredients for a possible Fight of the Night with one of the world’s greatest pound-for-pound fighters squaring off against a Japanese submission artist who is known for his impressive grappling game.
"I know fans cannot wait to watch these warriors collide on May 31,†he added.
Tickets for ONE FC: RISE TO POWER will be launched in Casino Filipino branches across the Philippines starting on 22 April 2013.
Fans from around the world can witness the action online via live streaming at www.onefc.livesport.tv.
The first two undercard fights are available for viewing free-of-charge and the main card fights will be available for purchase at just US$9.99.