Last Updated on December 3, 2023
At this level, Eduard “Landslide” Folayang ought to have grown bored with the criticism thrown his way, on whether or not at 36 years of age, the two-time ONE Light-weight World Champion ought to already hang his gloves for good.
However the proof is in the pudding, that despite the Igorot warrior being on the losing end of his final three fights, he remains on top of his game and may nonetheless grasp with the most effective the light-weight division has to supply.
That is why for Folayang, his subsequent bout towards Chinese language star Zhang Lipeng in the principle occasion of ONE: BATTLEGROUND II on August 13 in Singapore can be a make-or-break match in its truest type.
“I agree and I see it as a make-or-break, which means break in a literal approach that it is going to be the battle that can break my skid of losses,” he stated, together with his past slide dropping his report to 22-11.
“Each battle is vital to me so sure, I must be so targeted to make it this time. This battle towards Zhang means rather a lot as a result of it would give me the chance to step ahead once more, one step nearer to my objective of changing into a champion as soon as extra.”
It is easy to say that Folayang actually has nothing else to show in his profession.
Being the face of Philippine combined martial arts up to now half-decade, he has led the Filipino cost within the realm of ONE Championship as warriors from Crew Lakay confirmed that it really will be considered as among the finest athletes on this planet.
Although his legacy is already intact, Folayang argues that he nonetheless has much more to present.
“I am not but completed,” a defiant Folayang stated. “In truth, I am extra fired up than ever.”
It has been greater than two years since Folayang final draped that illustrious ONE Light-weight World Championship on his shoulders. And there is not any query that he misses the sensation of holding that title on his arms and carrying it on his waist.
However his latest skid additionally implies that Folayang is farther than ever from the top of the light-weight division, which fuels the doubts thrown his approach.
Understanding his present state of affairs, the Crew Lakay veteran is aware of that there is solely one solution to silence the chatter — each on his standing as one of the most effective within the weight class and his capabilities to nonetheless be on prime at any time when he enters the ONE Circle.
“Typically people who find themselves doing nothing and don’t have anything to try for need you to be like them they usually do that by speaking negatively and pulling individuals down,” he stated.
And the one tonic he has in thoughts? It isn’t simply to win over Zhang, however to win emphatically.
Folayang’s final end got here nearly 5 years in the past, when his star shot up the heavens with a 3rd spherical technical knockout win over Shinya Aoki to seize his first ONE Light-weight World Championship at ONE: DEFENDING HONOR in Singapore.
Seeing that formulation additional cements Folayang’s pondering {that a} win of that magnitude ought to catapult him again within the dialog among the many subsequent attainable challengers for present ONE Light-weight World Champion Christian Lee.
“All I do is to hope tougher and practice smarter. I consider that in the precise time, I will do away with that skid. And that’s why me and my staff are working collectively to convey the win residence this time,” he stated.
However he additionally is aware of that he actually cannot look previous Zhang as all Folayang needs is to point out that he stays devoted to his craft and continues to be one of ONE Championship’s elite.
“I would like everybody to see and find out how failures will flip into victories if we preserve enduring and by no means hand over on our goals and objectives. That is simply the message that I need to convey: By no means hand over in your goals and by no means cease bettering. I simply carry on combating, proceed to observe and be taught from others, and be receptive to the recommendation coming out of your coach and staff,” he stated.
“I nonetheless have a lot of names I keep in mind that I need to battle, one of which being that cancelled match towards [Yoshihiro] Akiyama. However right now, I have to deal with who’s in entrance of me and that’s Zhang. All the things will simply observe from there.”
