ONE Championship, The largest sports media property in Asian history, announced that reigning ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang will defend his title against ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen in a cross-divisional showdown of epic proportions.
The match will serve as the main event of the blockbuster evening of world-class martial arts action that will hit the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila on November 10, 2017.
Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “ONE Championship continues to push the boundaries of sports and entertainment with each event, and our next show in Manila is going to be absolutely phenomenal. Two world champions in their respective weight classes are set to go head-to-head in a cross-divisional showdown that will be talked about the world over […] in a bout that is sure to produce fireworks.”
“As a martial artist, I am constantly in search of the biggest challenges, the biggest tests of my skills. As champion, I welcome any and all challengers. Martin [Nguyen] is one of the best in the world and it is an honor to share the ONE Championship cage with him”, stated Folayang.
“This is a bout for the fans, and I can’t wait to perform in front of my hometown crowd in Manila once again. I have complete respect for my opponent’s skills and together with my brothers at Team Lakay, my coach Mark Sangiao, I’m preparing to showcase the best version of Eduard Folayang on November 10”, he finished.
Nguyen countered “New Years’ will be coming early this year, because in this fight there will definitely be fireworks. I’m out not only to make a statement, but to go down in history as the best to ever compete under the ONE Championship banner.”
“I have the utmost respect for the lightweight champion, and will definitely not take his skills for granted. But this is going to be a dog fight. It’s the first time two champions in different divisions go head-to-head in ONE, and I am excited to give the performance of a lifetime. The real winner of this bout will be the fans at the Mall of Asia Arena”, Nguyen continued.
Folayang has amassed an impressive 18-5 professional record. The 33-year-old veteran is currently riding a four-bout winning streak against high-profile opponents, including an emphatic technical knockout victory over Japanese legend Shinya Aoki to capture the ONE Lightweight World Championship in 2016.
Showcasing a highly-improved wrestling and grappling arsenal, Folayang thoroughly defeated top challenger Ev Ting in his first title defense last April.
Nguyen, monickered “The Situ-Asian” is 28 years old from Sydney, Australia. He is a highly-skilled finisher and one of the most talented featherweights in martial arts.
Nguyen scored the biggest victory of his career in his most recent bout when he stopped former undefeated featherweight champion Marat “Cobra” Gafurov in Macao to capture the ONE Featherweight World Championship.
Sporting a 9-1 professional record, Nguyen’s all-around skill set allows him to compete at the highest level of competition.
Updates on other ONE Championship bouts can be seen in their website, visit www.onefc.com,
By: ARMANDO M. BOLISLIS