Former ONE Featherweight World Champion Honorio “The Rock” Banario is the latest addition to the undercard of Kings of Destiny as he is set to tangle with tough and durable “Ruthless” Rob Lisita in the April 21 event at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Banario is 11-6 during his professional MMA fight career. He rack eight straight victories in the Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC).
He made a jump to ONE but lost his debut against Bae Yong Kwon before promptly delivering a twin of TKO’s in his next two fights to take the featherweight title in a match against compatriot Eric Kelly in 2013.
He has since regressed by dropping five straight losses, being knocked out twice by Koji Oshi and succumbed to submission also twice, the latest against EV Ting, who challenges Eduard Folayang in the main card.
Basnario has recently swung the tide in his favor, impressively winning three straight over top flight opponents, going 3-for-3 last year.
Banario believes renewed wave of confidence made the difference. His belief in himself, he explains, is at an all-time high. “My recent wins have given me my confidence back.” he said.
His fans nearly did not have the chance to see Banario in this fight. By the time Banario had dropped his fifth straight contest, the 56-second submission loss to Ting, the proud Igorot warrior said he had already contemplated surrender and nearly called it a day.
But those closest to him, his family, friends, teammates at the Team Lakay MMA, including coach Mark Sangiao, urged him to fight on.
“Coach Mark kept a close eye on me and tried to observe my body language. He wanted to see if my confidence would ever come back.” Banario narrated.
The encouragement bore encouraging results as Banario struggled to keep the spirit of fighting alive. “I had to remain positive. I knew whatever I needed to find was still inside of me. I knew it wasn’t over. I had so many fans, true fans, telling me to soldier on and keep fighting and that they still believed in me. Hearing all the words of encouragement, how can you continue to feel down after that?” said Banario.
Now, Banario has won his last three bouts, the most impressive of which was a first round armbar victory over top Indian lightweight prospect Rajinder Singh Meena last December, in front of his hometown crowd in Manila.
“I’m happy that I’m now able to show the positive outcome of my hard work. (I’m glad) those losses didn’t put me down, they gave me the strength to push forward,” said Banario. “(They) changed my outlook on life, my outlook on this sport.” He continued.
Banario, however, knows he has his work cut out for him against Lisita, who is one of the toughest fighters in ONE Championship, regardless of weight class.
“He (Lisita) is the type of fighter who will never give up no matter what. In a way, he’s just like me. It doesn’t matter if he’s tired, beat up or losing a fight. There’s no quit in the man. That’s why they call him ‘Ruthless’,” said Banario.
“But I’m prepared for anything, whatever style he wants to bring to the cage. Whether it’s his usual fast-start, looking for the quick finish, or a more technical, drawn out approach, I’m ready (for them). I’m happy to fight him because I want to be able to test myself against him. He’s a real fighter.”
With the success he has enjoyed at this juncture of his career, Banario surprisingly admits that he feels no pressure at all in trying to extend his winning streak. He says that even though Lisita will be the one inside the cage with him, that he’s not worried about the Australian.
“The only person I’m concerned with is myself,” said Banario. “I have to stay calm, and ease the pressure. The previous losses only served to teach me a valuable lesson. I’m not really going to battle with another person, I’m going to battle with myself. It’s my own fears and the negative feelings that I have to conquer. If I can beat myself, only then can I get to the next level,” Banario concluded.
His three-round lightweight bout with Lisita, who has 14-9 career fight record, is being considered an early candidate for Fight of the Night honors.
Meanwhile, Gina Iniong aims to impress in ONE Championship debut.
Considered as one of the best female Filipino fighters that the local Philippine mixed martial arts (MMA) scene has ever produced, “Conviction” has finally found her way to ONE Championship.
Iniong will make her much-awaited promotional debut Kings of Destiny as she is booked to square off with Filipino-English stalwart Natalie Gonzales Hills in a three-round atomweight contest.
The 27-year-old Baguio City native, a member of the renowned Team Lakay, has a professional MMA record of 4-2. Three of her four career victories have come by thrilling finish, which includes two impressive submissions.
The 5-foot-2 atomweight standout owns notable victories over French fighter Nathalie Heidel and Japanese veteran Mei Yamaguchi.
In her last bout during Pacific Xtreme Combat 51 last January 16, 2016, Iniong astonishingly submitted Spanish combatant Vanessa Rico Fernandez with a heel lock in the first round.
“I am grateful for the opportunity that has been given to me by this well-respected MMA promotion. ONE Championship is the premier MMA organization in Asia. With my debut taking place this April, it’s a chance to show the world what I am capable of doing inside the cage,” she said.
“I’m not going to waste this wonderful opportunity. I am here to give every Filipino MMA fan who is going to watch the event live a night to remember,” Iniong added.
Iniong admitted that she feels the pressure, but Mark Sangiao’s talented female ward stressed that she thrives on it as it brings out the best in her.
“There will always be pressure, but it is about channeling it in a right way. Being nervous before a fight can be good in a certain way. I thrive on it because it motivates me to overcome it by doing my best,” she stated.
As a fierce cage competitor with the ability to finish opponents in a variety of methods, Iniong seeks a statement-making victory in her first assignment as a ONE Championship athlete.
“I’ve been out for over a year. I cannot explain how excited I am to step inside the ONE Championship cage for the very first time. Of course, I want that finish. I am always looking for that. If there’s an opening to get the knockout or submission, I will go for that in a split second,” she ended.
By: ARMANDO M. BOLISLIS
