THIS weekend, Team Lakay's Jerry Olsim will look to claim his seventh professional victory when he makes his return to Rich Franklin's ONE Warrior series.
The undefeated Filipino will square off against Japanese sensation Ryoji Kudo in the co-main event of ONE Warrior Series 8: Japan Vs. The World, which emanates from the Bellesalle Shibuya Garden in Tokyo on October 5.
If Olsim defeats the Shooto veteran in their featherweight mixed martial arts contest, he could earn a six-figure contract and a spot on ONE Championship's main roster.
Also, he would boost the morale for Team Lakay as they head into battle one week later at ONE: Century.
"This is such a huge match for me because a lot is at stake," the 24-year-old Baguio City native explains. "I know that an impressive performance here would get me on the main roster, and at the same time, I want to give the team a win before their big matches. To be honest, there is pressure, but my eagerness to win mitigates that. This is the reason why I'm working really hard for this. I know a lot of people are counting on me, and I am up to the challenge."
Olsim's first teammate to compete at the promotion's historic 100th event will be Lito Adiwang, who is a familiar face to OWS fans.
Adiwang, who owns a 9-2 professional record, earned a six-figure contract following his unanimous decision victory over Anthony Do in the main event of OWS 7 in August. The rising star is scheduled to face Pancrase Flyweight World Champion Senzo Ikeda in a strawweight encounter on PART I of the double-header.
Later that evening, Danny Kingad goes toe-to-toe with Demetrious Johnson in the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Championship Final. If Kingad can pull off the upset, he will claim the tournament belt and get a rematch with ONE flyweight world champion Adriano Moraes.
At ONE: Century Part II, Olsim's Team Lakay stablemate, Kevin Belingon, meets ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano Fernandes for the fourth time.
Belingon is eager to finish this rivalry with the Brazilian and reclaim the division's richest prize.
Lastly, the Filipino's teammate Honorio Banario takes on former ONE lightweight world champion Shinya Aoki in a lightweight affair right before the main event.
Banario, the inaugural ONE featherweight world champion, is looking to defeat the Japanese martial arts icon in his hometown.
With four of his teammates competing in the biggest martial arts event in the history of combat sports, the "Bokodian Warrior" knows his clash with Kudo at OWS 8 is bigger than all of his previous conquests.
"I'm more motivated now. I've been waiting for this for a long time," Olsim said. "I want to win - not just for me and my dreams, but for my family and my team who have always supported me in everything."
ONE: Century is the biggest World Championship martial arts event in history with 28 World Champions featured across various martial arts. No organization has ever promoted two full-scale World Championship events on the same day. (PR)