Former two-time ONE lightweight world champion Eduard Folayang will be up against a former Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter from China in the main event of ONE: Battleground II in Singapore.
The tape-delayed event from the Singapore Indoor Stadium will be aired on Aug. 13.
Folayang’s fight against Zhang Lipeng, the former Ultimate Fighter: China winner, is again a redemption fight for the Igorot warrior, who suffered a three-game losing streak.
Although younger, the 31-year-old Lipeng has more mixed martial arts fights with 30 wins and 11 losses against Folayang’s 22 wins and 11 losses.
The Chinese fighter has fought in various MMA promotions, including the world’s undisputed top promotion, the UFC, where he has two wins and two losses.
The 37-year-old Folayang is confident he will come back strong following recent setbacks from his fights against Pieter Buist, Antonio Caruso, and Japanese rival Shinya Aoki.
Fans and observers have called on Folayang to retire from the sport, but the Igorot fighter believes he still has much left in the tank and wants to prove doubters wrong.
“I’m focused on my goals. I still have a lot to offer in this sport. I want to achieve things that others haven’t. As a martial artist, I want to unleash my full potential because I know I haven’t yet,” Folayang said.
“The biggest lesson I’ve learned during this stretch is just to persevere. I needed to understand that the best comes to those who don’t give up on their dreams. I believe in myself. I believe in what I can do, and I wouldn’t be here now if I didn’t,” he added.
Folayang said the fight between him and Zhang will be a good test for both of them.
“We are both veterans of this sport. We have seen it all. For sure, it will be a good fight. We have a lot of similarities in terms of our background. So, this fight could come down to a matter of will. Whoever wants it more will win,” Folayang said. – Harley F. Palangchao
April 19, 2024
