AFTER sweeping ONE Championship’s Heroes of Honor on Friday at the jam-packed Mall of Asia Arena, Team Lakay is not resting on its laurel as former lightweight world champion Eduard Folayang is expected to go all out in his next assignment.
More than reclaiming his lost title, Folayang is seeking another important win next month when he faces undefeated Russian Kharun Atlangeriev in the undercard of “Unstoppable Dreams” set on May 18 in Singapore that will feature three world title bouts in the main event.
The former Asian games medalist Folayang lost his lightweight crown when Martin Nguyen, the reigning featherweight champion sprang with his patented overhand right to knockout the former lightweight titlist in November last year.
With the win, Nguyen became the first fighter in ONE Championship to hold the featherweight and lightweight titles simultaneously.
Folayang, after nearly a decade of competing in various promotions, has amassed an impressive 18-6 professional record.
The 34-year-old veteran has reinvented himself by transitioning from a pure striker to an all-around martial artist, showcasing a highly-improved wrestling and grappling arsenal as he gears for a win and put him back on the title picture once again opposite Atlangeriev.
Atlangeriev, the 25-year-old fighter from Russia is an unbeaten martial artist with a perfect 11-0 record. Atlangeriev has gone the distance just once in his professional stint, as ten of his 11 career wins have come by way of finish. He eyes to make an impact in his ONE Championship debut by defeating a former world titleholder in Folayang.