If Honorio “The Rock” Banario wants to prolong his mixed martial arts career, he has to prove he still belongs in ONE Championship.
That is exactly what he plans to do in his return to the featherweight division when he takes on Shannon “OneShin” Wiratchai at ONE: King of the Jungle on February 28 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
“This is everything now. I am all-in during training,” the Mankayan, Benguet native said.
“I think this is the break that I need to start again. I’ve been training non-stop and I’ll do everything to get the win.”
Competing regularly is also a necessity for Banario, especially now that he is starting to build a family.
“My main motivation now is my family. I have a son now and I want them to live a comfortable life. Being a professional fighter, I know I have to show more, and they are my main motivation.”
After racking up five consecutive wins in the lightweight division, Banario lost four of his last five bouts and got finished in three of those matches in the first round.
Those losses had some people questioning if the former ONE Featherweight World Champion’s head is still in competing, but he would hear none of it.
“Win or lose, it is not going to stop me from building on my career, because this is my livelihood as well,” Banario said.
“For me, I am not affected with whatever I hear from other people. I planned this, I wanted this. They don’t get to plan for me.”
In fact, “The Rock’s” dreams are still intact, and he is not the type to be discouraged after repeated setbacks.
“If I can win here, maybe I’ll get two to three more impressive wins and that would get me back to contention talks,” Banario said.
“But I have to give everything I have to get there. I have to get those wins to reach my ultimate destination.”
Will Banario succeed? Find out when ONE Championship returns to The Lion City.
Two more Filipinos will see action that night as Mark “Tyson” Fairtex Abelardo battles “Pretty Boy” Troy Worthen and Denice “The Menace Fairtex” Zamboanga takes on Mei “V.V” Yamaguchi.
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