A BOUT against Eddie Alvarez is a welcome for former two-time ONE Championship lightweight world champion Eduard Folayang.
Folayang, the poster boy of Philippine MMA and Alvarez, a former world champion in two MMA promotions is set to clash on August 2 as ONE returns to the Philippines at the Mall of Asia Arena that will include three other Team Lakay fighters in the explosive fight card.
“I think I don’t need to prove myself in this bout against Alvarez and for me I see it as a wonderful challenge because he is a proven world champion in two MMA organizations,” said Folayang.
While the stacks may be against Folayang this time, the former teacher turned fighter said the challenge is how he will carry out his game plan when they clash next month.
Folayang added he has already set his mind of facing Alvarez in the near future after signing up with ONE but was surprised when he learned that he will immediately test the mettle of the former UFC and Bellator MMA world champion.
“I know there will come a time that we will face each other and I have already set my mind of squaring off against him and I will be fully prepared against Alvarez,” added Folayang.
Folayang added with him and Alvarez losing in their last bout in Tokyo, both fighters is expected to go all out against each other hoping to climb back to the top of the lightweight ranking.
“This is a good timing for both of us so we see this as a good opportunity to be in the title contention once again,” Folayang said.
The former world champion added he needs to assess properly the game plan of Alvarez to be able to counter it properly.
Coach Mark Sangiao meanwhile sees a striking contest between the two former champions and believes a knockout is forthcoming when they clash on August 2.
“It’s a tough contest because both Eduard and Eddie are both strikers and interesting because they both lost their fights in Japan. Both are hungry and whoever wants it more wins,” added Sangiao.
Aside from Folayang, also seeing action in the stacked fight card is Danny Kingad facing former ONE flyweight world champion Kairat Akhmetov in the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix semi-finals.
In another explosive ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix semi-final, former ONE featherweight world champion Honorio Banario meets deadly knockout artist Timofey Nastyukhin.
Added in the stacked fight card is Edward Kelly who will take on Xie Bin in a featherweight contest.