THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
FILIPINO striker Rene Catalan just earned an impressive win over former ONE world strawweight champion Yoshitaka Naito of Japan with a first round stoppage at Thuwunna Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar, for ONE: Reign of Valor on March 8.
Catalan, who was unsuccessful in his first two fights for ONE has been on a glorious roll, chalking up his sixth consecutive win with three of those ending in stoppage.
Catalan socked it to Naito literally in Myanmar, giving it to him in the head countless times until the referee stopped the fight less than 30 seconds left in the first.
That and his previous feats should serve notice to all and sundry that Filipino fighters are special in the world of martial arts—to be in awe about, feared and respected.
It’s now the turn of the Lakay boys Eduard Folayang and Kevin Belingon to feed the myth and hold the reputation aloft. Catalan belongs to the Catalan Fighting System, led by him and his brothers Robin and Rabin.
Come March 31, Team Lakay—a tightly knit brotherhood much like the Catalan blood brothers—will be put to the test on the world stage, with Folayang and Belingon, both reigning champions in their respective weight categories, putting their championship belts on the line.
Folayang will meet an old, albeit much respected, foe: Sinya Aoki, the legendary Japanese champion whom he defeated in explosive fashion in 2016 to win his first championship belt. Belingon will figure in a decisive best-of-three with his erstwhile contender Bibiano Fernandes, whom he defeated last November in Singapore.
“I knew at one point or another, I would be facing Shinya [Aoki] again. It was inevitable,” Folayang said.
“He was quickly coming back up and I had just won the title again. Plus, the huge Japan event was announced. I anticipated defending the lightweight belt against him there. “
After learning that he will be defending his title against Aoki, Folayang was happy to show the world his improvements, especially in the grappling aspect of his game. And to be able to do that against a man known as “The Grandmaster of Flying Submissions” would be a testament of the Baguio City native’s hard work.
“Nevertheless, I am grateful for the opportunity to once again face this legend,” Folayang said.
“He’s the greatest submission artist in mixed martial arts history. I couldn’t be happier to headline this event against him. It is an honor.”
Folayang knows for a fact that Aoki is very dangerous when the action hits the mat, so Folayang has been putting in the extra work to fortify his takedown defense to keep the action on the feet.
With an entire nation sitting squarely on his shoulders, Folayang aims to notch what would perhaps be the biggest victory in his career thus far.
“As much as possible, I will not give him the opportunity to bring me down to the mat,” Folayang concluded.
“It all boils down to how well I defend myself from his takedowns, knowing how expertly he moves with this sole purpose in mind. Takedown defense is a very important part of my training right now, and I am constantly improving in this area.”
Belingon meanwhile is not taking the trilogy lightly. He clearly recalls how the AMC Pankration representative gave him one of the most unforgettable 25 minutes of his life. This made him earn Belingon’s respect and admiration. But the former criminology student stays unfazed. “I feel as confident now as I have ever been. I have all the respect in the world for Bibiano. He is a tremendous athlete and he has all the skills to prove just that. He is also an amazing strategist and very smart in the cage. He’s a veteran and it is very hard to deal with that experience. He put up a great performance last time and made it difficult for me to get any sort of advantage.”
But Belingon is confident he can defend his ONE Bantamweight World Title successfully. It is the result of hard work and sacrifice for the past three years, he says, and this upcoming match on March 31 will be the toughest of all their encounters so far.
“I can see why he is so well-respected and revered. He’s a legendary World Champion after all. But I was able to show him also how much I have improved, which is why I got the victory.”
I know Bibiano will be hungry to win back the ONE Bantamweight World Championship, but I am determined to keep the belt with me. If I can beat Bibiano for the second time, I believe it will show that I am a worthy and deserving champion.”
And so we wait.