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Team Lakay s Folayang to dedicate trilogy bout vs Aoki to OFWs
Knowing the numbers of Filipinos who are in the US as migrants and overseas workers, Folayang is eager to dedicate the fight and hopefully bring home the win for them......»»
Folayang upbeat on chances vs Aoki in trilogy bout
With not only his record against Aoki on the line but also his entire career, Folayang knows just how much is at stake when they enter the cage next week......»»
Folayang confident of victory over legend Aoki in 3rd bout
Multiple-time former ONE Lightweight World Champions Eduard “Landslide” Folayang and Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki will settle the score once and for all, when they meet for the third and perhaps final time in their storied rivalry. The two veterans will square off in a trilogy bout at “ONE on TNT IV,” which broadcasts live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore on Wednesday, April 28 (Thursday, April 29 in Asia)......»»
Eduard Folayang: When an underdog finally became a world champion
In the five years that I was with the ABS-CBN Sports website, I was fortunate enough to have covered quite a number of memorable sports moments, so when I was asked to write about which was the most memorable for me, it was tough to narrow it down to just one single coverage. I could have written about Letran’s momentous upset of a dynasty-seeking San Beda in the NCAA Season 91 Finals, or I could have written about the Philippine Azkals making history by clinching a spot in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. Being an MMA fan, I could have written about getting to be Octagon-side for the UFC’s first and only trip to Manila, which was indeed a dream come true for me. When I think about it however, the coverage that sticks with me to this day, even four years later, was being cage-side, just inches away from Eduard “Landslide” Folayang as he pummeled Shinya Aoki to become the ONE Lightweight World Champion in Singapore back in 2016. I tell people about that night all the time, and I believe I’ll continue to do so for the rest of my life. A Fan First As I mentioned earlier, I’m an MMA fan. In fact, being a fan was actually how I eventually got into sports writing. During my first year or so with ABS-CBN, I got wind of a show on Balls Channel entitled “The Takedown” which was, you guessed it, about the UFC. Immediately, I knew that I wanted to be a part of that show, in any capacity. I even offered to research or write for free, LOL. While I never did get to work on the show (because unfortunately, it lasted only a few episodes), I did get to make some connections (shoutout to Sir Lori, Ms. Jo, and Ms. Anna!) which eventually landed me a gig as a UFC writer for the Balls Channel Website. During that time, I got to meet and interview stars like BJ Penn, Alexander Gustafsson, Urijah Faber, Cung Le, and even Arianny Celeste. For an MMA fan like me, it was like working a dream job. It was a pretty sweet gig. Eventually, that job with the Balls Channel Website would lead me to a spot on the ABS-CBN Sports Website which was launched in 2015. By 2016, I had started covering Asia-based MMA promotion ONE Championship quite a bit because ABS-CBN had signed a broadcast deal with them, and because ONE had a ton of homegrown Pinoy fighters on their roster, most notably Folayang and the Team Lakay guys. Folayang, whose contract with ONE expired in March of 2016, re-signed with the promotion and returned to action in August, defeating Adrian Pang by Unanimous Decision in Macau. That win over Pang earned Folayang the biggest bout of his career at that point: a title shot against reigning champion Aoki. When I learned of that title fight, I was very excited for Folayang, but had little expectations for his chances, being that Aoki was a legend in the sport. Best Seat in the House Eduard Folayang finally getting to fight for a world championship was a huge deal for Filipino MMA fans, especially those that had followed the Baguio-based star’s career since his days in the URCC. The Pinoy star was on ONE’s first ever event, but could never seem to gain enough momentum to compete for a world title, until that point. That November night in Singapore, all the years of work sacrifice that Folayang had put in during his nine-year MMA career would finally pay off. This was only my second time to cover a ONE event overseas, so apart from having to write stories, I also had to take pictures. Learning from my past mistakes, I asked if I could have a spot cage-side so that I could take some at least decent photos. Thankfully, the ONE people agreed and gave me a spot just beside one of the judges’ tables. I had the best seat in the house. Now, as I said, I had tapered my expectations for the fight. I had seen what Aoki could do in the cage. I’ve seen the guy break peoples’ bones before, so honestly, I was just hoping that he wouldn’t injure Folayang. Our guy was the underdog heading into this fight, no doubt about it. Of course, as a Filipino and as a fan I was hoping for a massive upset. The beautiful thing about MMA is anything can happen. Shock The World This was legitimately the first time that I felt nervous covering a fight. It’s like that feeling you have when your favorite basketball team is in a close game with just seconds left. That first round was a frigging whirlwind of emotions if you’re a Pinoy MMA fan. It looked like Aoki was within moments of being able to submit Folayang on multiple occasions. The second round was a little bit more relaxed for Folayang, especially since he had been able to survive Aoki’s opening round grappling blitz. It looked like he was a bit more confident and he started to throw some of his trademark spinning kicks and elbows. A miscalculated flying knee attempt led to another Aoki takedown, but this time around, Folayang appeared a little more calm and relaxed under the pressure. Late in the round, Folayang began to attack Aoki’s torso with punches and kicks, and it looked like it had the Japanese legend a bit winded. The tide had shifted. Heading into the third round, there was a different feeling in the air. It felt like Aoki was done, and it felt like Folayang knew it. In the opening seconds of that fateful third frame, Folayang knew exactly what Aoki was going to do and had an answer for it. Aoki shot in for a takedown, and Folayang countered it with a jumping knee to the jaw. For a brief second, Folayang was on his behind, but managed to outmuscle Aoki and deliver another vicious knee. “Oh sh*t!” I yelled internally while scrambling to take photos of the ensuing beatdown. Folayang turned Aoki over and began to connect with punch after unanswered punch. Without taking my eye away from my camera’s viewfinder, I started yelling for Folayang to finish it. Folayang continued to punish Aoki with piston-like punches as the Singapore Indoor Stadium began to erupt. For what felt like an eternity, referee Yuji Shimada watched as Folayang unloaded nine years worth of heartbreak and frustration into a ground-and-pound sequence. And then, it was over. There was a new lightweight king. AND NEW! EDUARD FOLAYANG STOPS SHINYA AOKI IN ROUND 3! — Santino Honasan???? (@honasantino) November 11, 2016 The Landslide Reigns As much as I would have wanted to keep it cool, I started to freak out. I looked to my right and saw my fellow Pinoy journalists doing the same, one was even standing on the table, cheering the new world champion on. At that point, I had watched UAAP championships, NCAA championships, even some boxing world championships, but this one was different. I knew what Folayang had gone through. I knew that the odds were stacked against him. As the confetti began to rain down and the celebration inside the ring continued, I recomposed myself and started to take pictures again. I wanted to be able to capture this moment. After the official decision and the post-fight interview, I remember calling out to Folayang so that I could take a photo of him with his shiny new toy. I’ve gotten to witness other members of Team Lakay become champions since then. I’ve been blessed enough to see Geje Eustaquio, Kevin Belingon and Joshua Pacio all become titleholders within a single year. While getting to see Team Lakay draped in gold to end 2018 was definitely a sight to behold, being there cage side as ‘Manong Ed’ realized a life-long dream was definitely an experience that I won’t soon forget. Folayang's title win wasn't Team Lakay's first world champmionship, and it isn't the last. For me however, I think it's the most important, because it showed that no matter how many times you fall, you can still find your way to the top. Everyone loves a good underdog story. -- Santino Honasan has served as a sub-section editor for ABS-CBN Sports' website since 2015. He is among thousands of ABS-CBN employees who will be retrenched on August 31, 2020. .....»»
WHAT IF: Eduard Folayang had stopped Eddie Alvarez back in 2019?
In August of 2019, the Mall of Asia Arena in Metro Manila played host to arguably one of the biggest matches in ONE Championship lightweight history. In one corner was Filipino mixed martial arts icon and hometown favorite Eduard “The Landslide” Folayang, a two-time ONE Lightweight World Champion who was looking to bounce back after dropping the title to Japanese legend Shinya Aoki in Japan earlier that year. Standing in the opposite corner was American star Eddie “The Underground King” Alvarez, a former UFC and Bellator Lightweight Champion and one of ONE’s biggest acquisitions in recent memory. Like Folayang, Alvarez was also looking to get back on track after a disappointing KO loss to Timofey Nastyukhin in his ONE debut. Considered a dream match by ONE Championship fans, Folayang versus Alvarez was billed as East versus West. One of ONE’s pioneers against one of ONE’s newest stars. As much as the storylines made the match very intriguing, the stakes were quite high as well. With the semifinals of the then-ongoing ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix doomed by injuries, the Folayang-Alvarez bout was elevated to Grand Prix semifinals status, meaning that the winner would go on to face Turkish knockout artist Saygid “Dagi” Guseyn Arslanaliev in the Finals at ONE: CENTURY. For Folayang, it was a step towards reclaiming the title that he held at the start of the year. For Alvarez, it was a way to erase the memory of his bitter debut loss and also a step closer towards capturing his third major world championship. While the Folayang-Alvarez was the third-to-the last bout on the bill, for many of the Pinoy fans in attendance at the MOA Arena that night, it sure felt like the main event. From the opening bell, the crowd was buzzing, anxious to see of their hometown hero could pull off the massive victory. Chants of “Folayang! Folayang!” rang through MoA Arena just seconds before the Pinoy connected on a solid counter left hook that definitely got the American star’s attention. After a flurry of kicks from Folayang, the briefly fell into a nervous silence as Alvarez caught a leg kick and managed to get Folayang to the ground before trapping him in a standing guillotine. Folayang simply shrugged off the half-hearted submission attempt, much to the delight of the partisan-Pinoy crowd. So far so good for Team Philippines. A flying knee from Alvarez collided with a spinning back kick from Folayang, which elicited some oohs and ahhs from the crowd, which was ready to go off as soon as their bet landed something big. Folayang began to pick up steam as he launched strike after strike, throwing kicks, punches, and elbows. It was clear that the Team Lakay star was in control of the stand-up aspect of the fight. Then, at the 3:37 mark of the first round, the big strike that the fans were waiting for finally came. Folayang, with his massive tree-trunk legs, whipped a right low kick that connected on Alvarez’s left leg, sending the American down to the mat. The way Alvarez sat back down, it looked like he was hurt. Sensing blood in the water, Folayang went for the kill and began dropping fists as Alvarez tried to defend himself. A failed armbar attempt from Alvarez forced Folayang to reposition himself, moving into side control while still throwing hammerfist after hammerfist. Then, all of a sudden, Alvarez managed to slip his right hand in between Folayang’s legs and then flip the Pinoy over. Just like that, it was Alvarez who was on top. Unlike his Pinoy opponent however, Alvarez remained calm and slowly transitioned into full mount. Making things worse, Folayang, likely looking to prevent and ground and pound damage, turned and gave up his back. Almost immediately, Alvarez sinked his hooks in and flattened Folayang out before locking in a rear naked choke and forcing the Pinoy to tap out. While he did win, Alvarez would miss out on the Finals anyway after an injury would force him to withdraw as well. As a result, Dagi ended up facing - and losing to - reigning ONE Lightweight World Champion Christian Lee. Folayang was offered the Finals spot against Dagi, but last-minute visa issues would prevent him from being able to step up. The loss was quite a painful one to swallow, not just for Folayang, but also for the fans. Folayang admitted after the fight that he had rushed to get the finish, causing him to be a bit careless and make some costly mistakes. "I was too eager to get the finish, and I think that’s the mistake, I became impatient, and I wanted to finish him as soon as possible but it didn’t go that way, so, that happened," Folayang explained. But WHAT IF Folayang hadn’t rushed? Close your eyes and imagine: After chopping Alvarez down with the leg kick at the 3:37 mark, Folayang pounced and picked his spots, landing some good shots to the head, enough to stun the American and force the referee to step in and stop the fight. Or, what if instead of pouncing, Folayang allowed the visibly hurt Alvarez to get back up and from there, continued to punish The Underground King’s leg (or legs) en route to a TKO finish. Folayang would have booked his ticked to the ONE Lightweight Grand Prix Finals. More importantly, Folayang would have been able to add Alvarez to the name of legend’s he’s beaten, and it would have skyrocketed his stock to even greater heights. Would he have been able to defeat Dagi in the Finale? Of course it was very much possible. At the rate Dagi was knocking guys out up to that point, Folayang would have likely been considered an underdog, but a high-level striker like Folayang is never without his chances. If Folayang had been able to get past Dagi as well, it would set up a very intriguing matchup between himself and Lee, which could have been a good matchup for the Pinoy star. Now, Folayang finds himself once again looking to bounce back following a close loss to Dutch striker Pieter Buist. Still hungry for a third run as world champion, Folayang will need to work his way back to the top of the division. Who knows? Maybe two or three wins in, Folayang could find himself standing opposite Alvarez once again, with the chance to re-write history. .....»»
Pacatiw tries to buck cage rust in ONE Championship return
More than a year since his last ONE Championship bout, Jeremy Pacatiw acknowledged that he has a lot to work on before his comeback fight......»»
Amparo steps in to replace Andales for the IBF world title bout in Japan
CEBU CITY, Philippines — In a surprising turn of events, world-ranked Jake “El Bambino” Amparo of the PMI Bohol Boxing Stable stepped in as a last-minute replacement for countryman ArAr Andales in facing the reigning International Boxing Federation (IBF) world minimumweight champion Ginjiro Shigeoka on March 31 in Nagoya, Japan. This was confirmed by PMI.....»»
‘Senate rules on Cha-cha on the right track’
The Senate rules on amending the 1987 Constitution are “on the right track” and ready even before the sub-committee wraps up its discourse on the Resolution of Both Houses 6 pushing Charter change, a senator said......»»
Andales cancels IBF world title fight in Japan
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Filipino ArAr Andales reportedly withdrew from his world title bout on March 31 in Nagoya, Japan. Andales was scheduled to fight the reigning International Boxing Federation (IBF) world minimumweight champion, Ginjiro Shigeoka of Japan. Their world title duel was supposedly a double-header world title bout with fellow Filipino Melvin Jerusalem gunning.....»»
How ready is Cebu City to address the effects of El Niño?
How ready is Cebu City to address the effects of El Niño?.....»»
Eumir Marcial K.O’s Thai foe in Manila duel
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Olympic bronze medalist Eumir Marcial made easy work against Thai Thoedsak Sinam in his homecoming bout in Manila on Saturday night, March 23, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. Marcial, who is bound for the Paris Olympics in July, knocked out Sinam in the fourth round in their eight-rounder non-title bout. With.....»»
Cops on heightened alert, NLEX ready for Lenten break
Police units across the country are on heightened alert starting tomorrow, as part of security preparations for the safety of the public during the Holy Week break......»»
Marcial sends Thai foe to dreamland
Eumir Marcial knocked the lights out of Thai opponent Thoedsak Sinam at the 1:33 mark of the fourth round of their super middleweight bout Saturday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila......»»
Eumir faces ‘heavy’ test tonight
Olympic qualifier Eumir Marcial will take on a heavier opponent Thoedsak Sinam of Thailand in an eight-round bout at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium tonight as MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons said it’s a prelude to facing bigger bruisers in Paris......»»
Engkwentro 12: All set for Wenceslao-Sanchez WBF title showdown
TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines— ARQ Boxing Stable’s hard-hitting journeyman, Rodel “The Hulk” Wenceslao, and his foe, Ernie Sanchez, will trade leather in tomorrow’s main event, Friday, March 8, at “Engkwentro 12: Binombahay sa Cawayan” in Cawayan town, Masbate. Wenceslao and Sanchez passed the official weigh-in for their World Boxing Foundation (WBF) Australasian welterweight bout on Thursday,.....»»
Ladon inches closer to Paris berth, Marvin also advances in Olympic boxing qualifier
Rogen Ladon advances to the third round, while John Marvin emerges triumphant in his opening bout as they both clinch stoppage wins in the World Qualification Tournament for the Paris Olympics.....»»
Saint-Denis vs Poirier bout candidate for UFC 299 Fight of the Night
The co-main event of UFC 299 on Sunday, March 10, at the Kaseya Center in Miami in the US finds up-and-coming French lightweight Benoit Saint-Denis against Dustin Poirier......»»
Sultan suffers devastating 1st round knockout against Japanese foe
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Former world title contender Jonas “Zorro” Sultan suffered a devastating first-round knockout against Japanese prospect Riku Masuda in their undercard bout of the Jerwin Ancajas-Takuma Inoue world title bout in Tokyo, Japan, on Saturday, February 24. A stinging left straight to the body sent Sultan, who is known as a ring.....»»
Jerwin used to defying odds
Jerwin Ancajas hopes to follow in the footsteps of 10 Filipino fighters who won world boxing championships in Japan when he takes on WBA bantamweight ruler Takuma Inoue in a scheduled 12-round bout at the Ryogoku Kokugikan National Sumo Arena in Sumida City, Tokyo tomorrow night. It’s been done before so the odds facing Ancajas aren’t insurmountable......»»
Apolinario, Thai foe, make weight for 8-rounder bout in Tokyo
CEBU CITY, Philippines—Sanman Boxing’s Dave “Dobermann” Apolinario and his opponent Tanes Ongjunta of Thailand successfully made the contracted weight for their undercard bout on Thursday, February 22 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. Apolinario and Ongjunta faced each other for the first time during Wednesday’s official weigh-in. The 25-year-old Apolinario tipped the weighing scales.....»»