EDUARD Folayang lost the ONE Lightweight World Championship to Martin Nguyen last November but he’s now ready to bounce back from that devastating loss and move forward in his career.
His biggest motivation for a comeback remains his family and his hope to provide them all the comforts as well as security in life.
“It is my family, 100 percent. I live for them, my wife and my daughter. It is a humbling experience to come from being a husband, and now also a father. Before, when it was just me, I was just competing for myself. But now, I compete for them, to give them a better life and to be a better provider. With the grace of God, I have been able to reach the pinnacle of this sport. I know what it takes to reach the top, and I understand all the work that goes into it. With the motivation I receive from my family, nothing can stop me,” said Folayang.
He said that he is not fighting for pride or for his legacy. He said he is fighting to become the best martial artist that he could be.
“It has never been about proving anything to anyone for me. It has always just been about improving as a martial artist. I learned my lessons, and now it is time again to fix all the things I mismanaged. One of the things I take great pride in as a martial artist is owning up to my own faults and shortcomings. I know what happened and where I lacked in training, and now I have been able to identify those with the help of my team. Now it is about moving forward and applying the lessons I have learned to my training,” said Folayang.
The Team Lakay fighter faces the year with optimism. And at the top of his list of priorities is regaining his ONE Championship crown.
“Of course, I am aiming to get another shot at the ONE Lightweight World Championship. Becoming world champion was an amazing achievement for me, and having that belt strapped around my waist inspired many people to be the best they can be, and to work hard. More than just being world champion, I want to continue to be an inspiration to others. If this is by giving my all each and every time I step into the cage, then that is how it’s going to be. I will gladly share my talents with the world,” said Folayang.
Despite the decisive loss to Nguyen, Folayang is confident that he could beat his rival in a rematch and regain his belt.
“I was not focused at all on the match-up, and my strategy was severely lacking. I was not able to stick to the game plan me and my team had come up with, and as a result, I got caught. I had overlooked where Martin would be able to capitalize. It was my mistake, but it is what it is,” said Folayang.
He remains confident that he could move forward after that devastating knockout.
“We cannot live in the past, but it is important that we learn the lessons. I know where I went wrong, and I am working extremely hard to make sure that does not happen again. It is a tough lesson to learn, but one that ultimately makes me a better martial artist,” said Folayang.
ONE Championship
He understands the nature of the sport. You either win or you lose. You cannot win all the time and fighters must accept the fact that they may lose.
“It is martial arts, and this is a sport. As an athlete, I understand there are seasons that come into my life. You win some, and you lose some. It is part of being an athlete. Despite the losses, however, I remain as motivated and as determined as ever. One loss will not stop me from reaching for the stars and chasing my dreams. I am working harder than ever to get back to championship form. A different ‘Landslide’ is ready to emerge from the rubble,” said Folayang.