Julaton tries it out in One FC

MANILA, Philippines - Former world boxing champion Ana “The Hurricane” Julaton will finally showcase her skills before local fans but, this time, not inside the ring but in the octagon.

The Fil-Am fighter has signed up with Asia’s largest mixed martial arts outfit One FC and is set to make her debut in the One FC: Rise of Heroes on May 2 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Julaton, the first Fil-American woman to capture the WBO and IBA super bantamweight titles,  will take on Egyptian kickboxing champion Aya Saeid Saber.

With a blackbelt in taekwondo and Bok Fu, Julaton is hoping to duplicate her ring success in the octagon. She is as excited as the Filipino fight fans on her debut on Philippine soil.

“Aya Saber is an experienced MMA warrior and champion in kickboxing. I know she will bring her very best on May 2nd. I’m training for my One FC homecoming fight in Manila harder than ever before and what gives me strength through my ups and downs are the hearts of my kababayan all over,” Julaton said.

Julaton has a work cut out for her with Saber firing the warning shots this early.

“I am excited and honored to be the first female mixed martial artist from Egypt to compete in One FC. I can’t wait to get into the cage and beat Ana and make my fight team and family proud. Unlike Ana, I am not new to MMA. Be careful Ana, you are entering my world. I’m coming,” Saber said.

The Julaton-Saber bout completes the One FC: Rise of Heroes card that will also showcase Filipino fighters Eduard Folayang and Eugene Toquero.

Tickets for the event are on sale now at SM Tickets (www.smtickets.com). Ticket categories begin with the full red carpet and cageside experience for VIPs at P6,360 followed by patron P3,180, lower box P1,280, upper box P640 and general admission P220.– Alder Almo/Contributor