"All good things must come to an end" - Eduard Folayang pens a heartfelt message announcing his departure from Team Lakay

An era has come to an end for famed Philippine gym Team Lakay as veteran fighter Eduard Folayang bade his goodbye to the group he has been part of for the past 16 years.

The former two-time ONE lightweight world champion made the announcement over his Facebook fan-page on Friday.

It effectively ended a fruitful partnership between Eduard Folayang and his team, considered by some quarters to have done a lot to advance mixed martial arts in the Philippines.

In saying his goodbyes, he highlighted how it was a decision that was tough to make but in the end needed to be done for him to continue to evolve as a fighter even at this stage of his career. 'Landslide' wrote:

“As the oft saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Sadly, and with a heavy heart, my journey with Team Lakay has reached its final stretch. I believe there are still a few things I must accomplish in what remains in my active years as an athlete.”

He added:

“The profession I have chosen requires me to learn, evolve, and grow. In order for me to achieve this, I must step out of my comfort zone and discover new ways to foster my development as a martial artist.”

Eduard Folayang, 39, ended his post by wishing long-time coach and friend Mark Sangiao and the rest of the team all the best moving forward as well as vowing to continue pursuing his passion of competing at a top level. He further wrote:

"I extend my sincere and heartfelt gratitude to Team Lakay. I wish no less than the best for Coach Mark Sangiao and everyone under his wing. This is not a goodbye, but so long for now."

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Eduard Folayang leaves a culture of excellence at Team Lakay

Former two-time ONE lightweight world champion Eduard Folayang made his departure from Team Lakay official on Friday, marking an end to a partnership rooted in striving for excellence.

'Landslide' broke ties with the famed Baguio gym after 16 years in his bid to step out of his comfort zone and continue to evolve as a martial artist.

During his tenure with Team Lakay, Eduard Folayang helped it achieve great heights, both in popularity and achievement, especially under ONE Championship. Together, both elevated their standing as the faces of Philippine mixed martial arts and the top fighting gym in the Philippines, respectively.

Eduard Folayang headlined ONE’s first-ever live show ONE: Champion vs. Champion in Singapore in 2011, where he defeated South Korean A-Sol Kwon by unanimous decision.

He steadily built his name after that, eventually reaching the summit when he became ONE lightweight world champion in November 2016 by knocking out then-champion Shinya Aoki.

Eduard Folayang’s second reign as champion came in November 2018 after he defeated Singapore’s Amir Khan for the vacant strap.

The years that followed proved to be tough for 'Landslide' but he swung back last year at ONE X when he topped Australian veteran John Wayne Parr under Muay Thai rules.

Prior to joining ONE, he was a decorated Wushu athlete while representing the Philippines in international competitions.