ANOTHER top local Philippines fighter is set to make his Lumpinee Stadium debut.
National flyweight champion Eros Baluyot marks his first appearance under the ONE Championship banner when he takes on dangerous Russian Changy Kara-Ool in a three-round strawweight MMA bout at ONE Friday Fights 87 on November 15.
Baluyot stakes his unbeaten record against the tough Russian, who’s already notched two finishes inside the Lumpinee ring. But the Submission Sports representative in Baluyot is unfazed and wants to show a different kind of skill set owing to his BJJ background.
While most Pinoys are known as dangerous strikers, the 32-year-old comes in with a variety of submission wins – one from an armbar and another from a triangle choke, making him one of the most versatile Filipinos off the back.
Baluyot also owns a win over former ONE Strawweight MMA World Title contender Rene Catalan. He overwhelmed the Catalan Fighting Systems founder with his takedowns and top pressure before getting the TKO win with strikes from his back.
Now Baluyot hopes to take the next step in his career, and what better way than by stopping the ascending Kara-Ool in his tracks to prove that there’s more to Filipino MMA than just striking.
Baluyot’s debut comes during a busy stretch for Filipino combat sports stars.
Recently, Marwin Quirante and Jayson Miralpez made their respective Friday Fights debuts. Quirante’s versatile striking shined as he took a first-round TKO win over Phan Thanh Tung.
Miralpez, on the other hand, dropped a decision loss to Robson de Oliveira but made a good account of himself as he grappled with the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt for three rounds.
Then this weekend, two big back-to-back cards are set to cater to Pinoy fans.
Fil-Am striking star Jackie
Buntan takes a shot at gold when she battles Anissa Meksen for the inaugural ONE Women’s Strawweight Kickboxing World Championship in the co-main event of ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug this Saturday morning, November 9.
Third-ranked flyweight Danny
“The King” Kingad will also be back in action on the same card when he faces #1-ranked contender Adriano Moraes in a rematch of their 2017 World Title contest.
Eddie Abasolo, another Fil-Am striker, also returns against Mohamed Younes Rabah in a featherweight Muay Thai bout.
The night before that card, the Philippines will likewise be well represented as three of the country’s fighters will compete at ONE Friday Fights 86 on November 8.
Islay Erika Bomogao makes her highly anticipated debut when she battles Japanese striker Fuu in a 100-pound catchweight Muay Thai bout, while two other MMA rising stars are also set for their respective returns.
Team Lakay’s Carlos Alvarez returns to action when he takes on Mirza Aliev in a featherweight MMA bout, and Fritz Biagtan of T-Rex MMA completes the troika of Pinoys that night when he battles Seyed Ali Asli in a flyweight contest.
