MANILA, Philippines – Eduard Folayang was on the verge of a title shot with Asia’s largest MMA organization, ONE FC, but that one swipe of an elbow from Hawaiian fighter, Lowen Tynanes, not only sliced open Folayang’s face, but also effectively leapfrogged the Filipino in the 155-pound queue.
Folayang then lost his next ONE FC bout as well when he was defeated by veteran Kamal Shalorus. With two heartbreaking losses, a lesser man would have walked away from the sport. However, the losses only made Eduard more determined to return and reclaim the glory.
With such an indomitable fighting spirit, it is no wonder that this lightweight is regarded as the most popular Filipino MMA fighter. Folayang was born in Baguio City on November 22, 1984 to natives of Mountain Province, where the Igorots reside.
Folayang started training in Wushu when he was 16 years old. He is known for being humble, religious and has no interest in trash talking, but his fights tend to be all-action affairs that end with the former schoolteacher bloody and battered, but more often than not, victorious.
Folayang is a product of Team Lakay, a Filipino-based camp that also houses prospects Kevin Belingon and Honorio Banario. Although known for his precise striking, Folayang involvement has also improved on his ground skills, specifically from top control. He possesses excellent conditioning, a diverse stand-up game that stems from his Wushu roots, and threatening ground and pound on the floor.
On May 2, Folayang will be taking another step ahead in his MMA career when he faces Japanese kickboxer, Kotetsu “No Face†Boku, who recently came off a win against Arnaud “The Game†Lepont. With this fight, Folayang is excited to show how much he has improved yet again and will be looking to increase boost his fight record to 14-4. It is also his toughest test to date as Boku is the former ONE FC Lightweight World Champion and possess knockout power in both hands.