Baguio sensation Edward Folayang is set to fight Antonio Caruso on Oct. 30 as one of the undercards in the ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX.
ONE Championship chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong said this ahead of an earlier event that they are holding this Friday, when ONE Championship returns in Singapore.
“He (Folayang) will be one of the Filipino fighters fighting on that day,” said Sityodtong in a virtual presser yesterday.
More Filipino fighters from Team Lakay are also expected to show up that night, according to Sityodtong, who added they are now working with governments throughout Southeast Asia to allow their fighters to come over to Singapore to join fights.
The 35-year-old Folayang, a wushu practitioner, is coming off a loss to Peter Buist, via split decision when ONE held the ONE Championship: Fire & Fury in Manila last January just before the coronavirus lockdowns began in March.
Caruso, who trains in martial arts coupled with boxing and is known for his nickname “The Spartan” due to his extreme training regimen, is also coming off a defeat from Buist last October.
One: Reign Of Dynasties is the first international sports production pilot to take place in Singapore since the country’s implementation of COVID-19 related measures earlier this year.
The matches this Friday will feature six bouts involving local and international athletes and take place audience-free and behind closed doors at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, with only athletes, officials and crew onsite.
The main event will see reigning ONE Strawweight Muay Thai & Kickboxing World Champion Sam-A Gaiyanghadao of Thailand defending his Muay Thai World Title against Josh “Timebomb” Tonna of Australia.
Then, there’s Singapore-based Aleksi “The Giant’’ Toivonen of Finland, who will seek a chance to break into the Top 5 when he clashes with fifth-ranked flyweight contender and former ONE World Title challenger Reece “Lightning” McLaren of Australia.
Other bouts will see former ONE World Title contender Amir Khan of Singapore going into head-to-head with Rahul “The Kerala Krusher’’ Raju of India.
Many-time Indonesian national wrestling champion Eko Roni Saputra is meeting Malaysian boxing champion Murugan “Wolverine” Silvarajoo.