Pinoy fighters win in Pride of a Nation

FILIPINO warriors Eduard Folayang, Erik Kelly and Honorio Banario earned title shots for inaugural ONE FC crowns after winning their bouts last Friday night in the ONE FC 5 – “Pride of a Nation” at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Folayang (12-2) will be fighting for the ONE FC lightweight crown against Zorobabel Moreira, while Kelly (8-0) and Banario (7-1) will be pitted against each other in an all-Filipino bout for the ONE FC featherweight title on Oct. 6 in Singapore.

Folayang, the most promi- nent figure in Philippine MMA, overwhelmed Japan-based Swiss Felipe Enomoto (6-5) in the comain event, walking away with the unanimous decision victory.

Kelly kept his reputation as one of the best Filipino MMA fighters by overcoming the biggest test of his career, stopping former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver in 1:46 of the second round to keep his unbeaten record.

Banario, on the other hand, scored a third-round technical knockout over fellow Filipino Andrew Benibe (4-3) in the events opening bout.

Up-and-coming Filipino fighter Kevin Belingon (9-2) continues to slide after a third round technical knockout loss to South Korean Soo Chul Kim (6-4).

In other fights, Dream bantamweight champion Bibiano Fernandes (12-3) had a successful ONE FC debut following a unanimous decision win over Gustavo Falciroli (12-4-2); Tim Sylvia (31-7) and Andrei Arlovski’s (17-9) third rematch was anticlimactic as it ended in a no contest; and Rolles Gracie (7-1) forced Tony Bonello (16-2-1) to quit in the third round with a rear-naked choke.

Jung Hwan Cha (9-6-1) also shocked Igor Gracie (5-3) after knocking him out in the third round; Gregor Gracie (7-2) forced Philippines-based Australian Nicholas Mann (4-2) to tap out with an arm bar; former UFC fighter Phil Baroni (15-15) knocked out Rodrigo Ribeiro (910) in the opening round; and Shannon Wiratchai (3-0) upset Mitch Chilson (3-2) in a secondround stoppage. EKA