ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang and Ev Ting of Malaysia shed their Mr. Nice Guy image when they clash on April 21 at ONE: Kings of Destiny at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The two met up close on Tuesday, had some fun playing video games before they faced off with clinched fists in front of the media at the Top of the Citi Restaurant in Citibank Tower in Makati City.
Folayang of the famed Team Lakay said “I always consider every fight a tough one because every fighter goes into the cage with the intent to give more than a hundred per cent of themselves. Every fighter prepares very well at this level and they all have their own uniqueness and strategy. It all depends on how our styles will match up. Keeping the title is what I plan to do. This title means a lot to me, and I can’t just let it go easily.”
On the other hand,Ting stated that “Eduard displayed the best version of himself in the Shinya (Aoki) fight when he won the title. He displayed a lot of patience, he exploded at the right times, and put pressure on at the right times, so he showed a very top-caliber Eduard Folayang, and I expect nothing less in April. His wrestling is solid, his timing is obviously one of his strongest strengths, and he defended everything from Shinya despite strong positioning, so yeah, I have a hard task ahead of me.”
After nearly a decade of competing in various promotions, Folayang has amassed an impressive 17-5 professional MMA record.
The 33-year-old veteran authored a career resurgence in 2016, winning three consecutive bouts against high-profile opponents while showcasing a highly-improved wrestling and grappling arsenal. In his last bout, Folayang shocked the world by capturing the ONE Lightweight World Championship with a sensational victory over Japanese MMA legend Shinya Aoki. Folayang will now put his title on the line against Ting.
Ting is a mixed martial artist with deep roots in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Living and training out of Auckland, New Zealand, Ting owns a stellar 13-3 professional record, including four wins by submission and four exciting knockouts. A winner of his last four bouts over top-caliber opponents, Ting is one of the most talented mixed martial artists to come out of Malaysia.
In his most recent bout last February, Ting overcame a tough challenge from MMA veteran Kamal Shalorus to win by split decision. The victory earned him a date with ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard Folayang in Manila.