"It will have a big impact" – Eduard Folayang reveals how a victory over John Wayne Parr would transform his mindset

Eduard Folayang is as accomplished an MMA fighter as you can find in ONE Championship. He already achieved legendary status during the promotion’s first five years, but that doesn’t mean he’s settled in just yet.

The multi-time ONE lightweight champion says defeating kickboxing and Muay Thai icon John Wayne Parr will be a huge deal for him, especially as their fight at ONE X won’t be under MMA rules.

The natural wushu practitioner will face Parr in a ONE Super Series bout under Muay Thai rules at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on March 26. The fight will also mark the last time the great Australian will be competing in the sport.

The Team Lakay elder statesman said in a recent interview with the South China Morning Post that while fighting Parr is already a big opportunity in itself, a win is another thing altogether:

"Fighting him already is a great opportunity, but if I can pull off a big victory then, of course, it means a lot to me... It means a lot to me that I’m facing one of the legends in the sport of Muay Thai. Having a victory over him in his sport is a big factor for me. It will boost my morale, especially because I’m in mixed martial arts. It will have a big impact on my confidence as I compete in mixed martial arts.”

Watch Folayang's interview with the South China Morning Post below:

The Filipino fighting legend first became ONE Championship’s lightweight king when he beat Shinya Aoki at ONE: Defending Honor in November 2016.

Eduard Folayang then effected his second reign as champion when he put Amir Khan through a striking masterclass at ONE: Conquest of Champions in November 2018.

Parr, meanwhile, has a stellar resume. He has captured the WKA Muay Thai middleweight, WKBF K-1 middleweight, World Muay Thai Council Kings Cup, and K-1 ISKA Muay Thai middleweight championships in an illustrious career that spans almost three decades.

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Eduard Folayang waiting to pass the baton to new generation

Eduard Folayang is already considered an old man in the athletic field, especially in a combat sport such as MMA. Nevertheless, the former lightweight king believes there’s a lot more to achieve inside the circle.

Another thing he’s looking out for is the emergence of younger fighters from the Philippines:

“I want to see more young athletes rising up, especially [in the Philippines]... I know there’s a lot of talents out there, and it would be great to see more athletes ready to compete on this big stage. Then I know I can pass the baton to them and go to another area of the same sport."

Eduard Folayang is a pioneer of ONE Championship and headlined the company’s first card, Champion vs. Champion, in 2011. He’s now witnessing the rise of young Filipino fighters such as his Team Lakay stablemates Joshua Pacio, currently the strawweight world champion, Lito Adiwang, and Stephen Loman, among others.

Jeremy Miado and Denice Zamboanga are also making their own legacies in ONE Championship.