DESPITE losing the One Fighting Championship (One FC) featherweight title, Team Lakay remains to be a force to reckon with this year.
In an article from mma-in-asia.com, the country’s number one mix martial arts (MMA) team still ranks as one of the most powerful MMA squad with some of its fighters gaining some noted accolades.
Fresh from knocking out previously undefeated David Aranda, bantamweight contender Kevin Belingon was among the fighters considered as one of the best the past year.
The Ifugao fighter’s knock-out victory against Aranda was among the top 13 best knock out of the year in list according to the website.
Belingon qualified for the One FC bantamweight crown but fell in the semis in a see-saw battle against Japanese Masakatsu Ueda but avenged his loss therein with a subsequent highlight reel knockout in Manila last year.
Ueda and Belingon’s bout was subsequently added in the website’s best 13 fights of the year including the second round knock-out victory of current One FC featherweight champion Koji Oishi against Banario.
Flyweight prospect Roldan Sangcha-an’s undefeated record of four bouts was also added in the list as Asia’s best fighter with an impressive back to back finishes via technical knockout in URCC Baguio and Pacific Xtreme Combat.
Another Team Lakay who made it to the best fighters of the year is bantamweight prospect Harold Banario who is also undefeated at 4-0, and the youngest of the Banario brothers.
Filipino MMA poster boy Eduard Folayang also made it to the list after his unanimous victory against Vincent Latoel during One FC 13 in Manila last year.
Folayang was coming off from a two fight loss and his victory against Latoel has catapulted him once again to prominence in MMA scene with the hopes of having to fight for a title shot in One FC this year.
The fighter known as ‘The Landslide’ is also considered as one of the fighters to watch this year.
Despite an up and down career in 2013, Geje Esutaquio was also in the list of 13 runner-up prospects.
With a stellar feat in 2013, Lakay head coach Mark Sangiao said they are looking forward for another good year this 2014.
“This year will be a much busier year for us. As early as now we have scheduled fights in the first event of One FC which will take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on March 14th,” said Sangiao.
“On March, PXC will also have their first event in Manila for 2014. Three of our fighters will be fighting including one for a title shot. It will be different this time, since PXC maybe planning to open a different weight category which opens a lot of opportunity to our fighters,” added Sangiao.