ANOTHER setback for the former world champion.
Former One FC featherweight world champion Honorio Banario gave his all but judges saw the other way around, giving a unanimous decision win to Mongolian Jadambaa Narantungalag in One FC’s "Honor and Glory" at the Singapore Stadium.
Both fighters put on a striking exhibition that had the crowd cheering their every move with the former champion taking Jadambaa down briefly and landed an impressive wushu side kick to close out the first round.
After a brief takedown exchange, the pair was happy to spend the rest of the second round trading strikes in a high-octane second round as the tactical battle continued into the third round with each fighter having their moments.
Jadambaa, a newcomer, closed the round with a successful takedown attempt.
“I really believe Honorio won that fight though it was close, I just cannot stop thinking what happened tonight because that was the best performance he showed,” said Eduard Folayang after the fight who sat as corner for Banario.
“Anyway things happen for reasons. It is the best performance that he gave in his time of fighting in One FC, seeing a lot of improvements and changes in him, he will be back stronger and wiser,” Folayang added.
The back and forth striking action was eventually named as the "fight of the night."
Banario’s losing skid dates back to May 2013 when he lost the inaugural featherweight title he won against fellow Filipino Eric Kelly in their title match way back in February of the same year.
The 24-year-old Mankayan, Benguet native was previously undefeated in his first six mixed martial arts fights, winning the URCC lightweight crown along the way.
After scoring five submissions and one knockout victory, Banario suffered his first loss in his career when he debuted with One FC, yielding to Bae Yong Kwon in February 2011 but racked up two straight wins which includes a fourth round stoppage of Kelly in their title match.
He then lost in his first title defense against Japanese Koji Oishi.
In the main event, Ben Askren proved once again why he is considered the best welterweight in the world by submitting Bakhtiyar Abbasov and extending his clean professional mixed martial arts record to 13 wins.