EDUARD Folayang finally gets his reward.
The famed Team Lakay fighter is set to fight for the One Championship world lightweight championship in November against defending titlist Shinya Aoki, announced CEO Victor Cui.
Folayang gets a crack at the title after his recent victories against Adriane Pang and Tetsuya Yamada as the championship bout will be set at the Singapore Indoor Stadium for the One: Defending Honor event slated November 11.
“Filipino fight fans have been waiting for a long time for this one. Folayang has been with ONE Championship since the beginning and has performed at an extremely high level in his last couple of bouts. He is deserving of a title shot which he earned with victories over Tetsuya Yamada and Adrian Pang,” Cui said.
After over eight years as a professional competing in various promotions, the wushu specialist has amassed a stellar 16-5 mixed martial arts record. Folayang figured in impressive victories in his last two bouts showcasing a highly-improved wrestling and grappling offensive arsenal.
Currently at the peak of his abilities as a combat sports athlete, Folayang will get the opportunity of a lifetime when he steps inside the cage against Aoki.
“I am at the peak of my abilities as a fighter. All the hard work I have put into training has finally started to pay off and I am challenging the great champion Aoki. It will be an honor to share the cage with him, but I feel I have the skills to pull off an upset. I will fight for the honor of my country and the people of the Philippines who will be in my corner on fight night,” Folayang said in a statement.
Aoki of Shizuoka, Japan, is one of the world’s most decorated mixed martial artists having been the DREAM lightweight champion and a former Shooto welterweight Champion.
The 33-year-old Aoki is a Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt under Yuki Nakai and has won multiple grappling tournaments across the globe and also holds a black belt in judo.
A veteran of over 40 professional bouts which includes an impressive 25 victories by submission, Aoki’s reputation as a grappling specialist is unrivaled and is currently riding a nine-fight win streak.
“I have been in the sport for many years and have fought the toughest challengers across the world, but this is the first time I will be fighting a strong Filipino warrior. I am excited to test my skills against a fighter representing the Philippines. Eduard Folayang is a great competitor with solid all-around skills. It should be an exciting match-up,” Aoki said. (Roderick Osis)