Eustaquio looks to pad Team Lakay’s winning run
WITH his home team going away a big winner in ONE Championship’s last event, Team Lakay flyweight Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio looks to build on their winning run when he takes the cage anew next week.
To compete at “ONE: Dynasty of Heroes” on May 26 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, Mr. Eustaquio (8-5), the lone Filipino slated to fight in the card, will take on Thai rival Anatpong Bunrad (5-2) in a rematch of their 2015 encounter that the latter won by split decision.
It was an outcome that the 28-year-old Eustaquio is aching to make up for in his return fight.
“The last time we fought, it was a razor- thin decision. Maybe I lacked the quantity in striking. There were also cases when his leg kicks, though those were weak ones, did connect. It didn’t hurt as much, but in the eyes of the judges, it had a big impact. So maybe this time, I’ll avoid those leg kicks,” said Mr. Eustaquio in the run-up to his fight.
With help from his team, Mr. Eustaquio, who is coming off a loss in his previous fight in December last year, said he is coming ready against Mr. Bunrad, 30, himself absorbed a defeat in his last fight.
“Geje is different this year. I’m a different fighter. I improved on the different facets of my game,” said Mr. Eustaquio.
“My first fight against him (Bunrad) served as a big lesson. It’s my duty to learn from my mistakes and improve to become a better martial artist. I know what I am capable of. I can’t wait to showcase my talent this coming May 26,” he added.
At “ONE: Kings of Destiny” which took place in the country last month, Team Lakay fighters went 5-0 with ONE lightweight champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang retaining his title and Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon, Honorio “The Rock” Banario, Danny “The King” Kingad and Gina “Conviction” Iniong fashioning out victories of their own.
Dynasty of Heroes will be headlined by the title defense of ONE women’s atomweight champion Angela “Unstoppable” Lee against Brazilian challenger Istela Nunes.
Co-main event will have welterweight champion Ben “Funky” Askren staking his title against Malaysian Agilan “Alligator” Thani.
Also featured in the Singapore event is the ONE debut of Swede Zebaztian “The Bandit” Kadestam, who was a belt holder with the Pacific X-Treme Combat. He will take on Luis “Sapo” Santos of Brazil in a welterweight fight.