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Welcome to today's edition of the daily Sportskeeda ONE Championship News Roundup, where we present the promotion's most important stories.
Today, we’ll discuss Eduard Folayang’s departure from Team Lakay, Aung La N Sang’s candid observation of Fan Rong, and Reinier de Ridder’s difficulty against Anatoly Malykhin back in December.
#3. "All good things must come to an end" - Eduard Folayang pens a heartfelt message announcing his departure from Team Lakay
It truly is the end of an era.
For more than a decade, Eduard Folayang was the premier bannerman of Team Lakay. That relationship, however, came to an end this past week with the Filipino legend announcing his departure from the famed stable.
Folayang, ONE Championship’s first headlining athlete back in 2011, reached legend status with Team Lakay and became a two-time ONE lightweight world champion. Despite his legacy with the team, ‘The Landslide’ decided to part ways with the group.
Taking to his Facebook fan page, Folayang wrote a heartfelt letter to the stable that made him one of the best fighters in ONE Championship history:
“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.”
Folayang, 39, ended his letter with a grateful message to longtime coach and personal friend Mark Sangiao:
“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.”
#2. Aung La N Sang praises "well-rounded" Fan Rong but says he’s not on the same level
Aung La N Sang has seen it all in his ONE Championship career, and he knows when an opponent poses enough of a threat to him.
The Burmese legend will head into his 19th match inside the circle when he takes on China’s Fan Rong at ONE Fight Night 10 on Prime Video.
During an interview with the South China Morning Post, Aung La described how Fan operates inside the cage as well as the Chinese star’s strength of schedule:
“I mean, he’s tough, he’s well-rounded everywhere and he’s lost to the two guys I lost to as well. But I don’t think he’s – his record is good, but I don’t think he’s fought the type of fighters I fought.”
Aung La is one of the best fighters in ONE Championship history, becoming a two-division world champion as the ONE middleweight and light heavyweight world champion.
ONE Fight Night 10 is ONE Championship’s first on-site US card and is set for May 5 at the 1stBank Center in Colorado. The entire card will be available live and for free to all Prime Video subscribers in North America.
Watch Aung La's entire interview below:
#1. Reinier de Ridder says size difference with Anatoly Malykhin was too big to overcome
Reinier de Ridder may be almost a head taller than Anatoly Malykhin, but fighting a ferocious heavyweight will always bring a different level of danger.
‘The Dutch Knight’ faced the rampaging Russian at ONE on Prime Video 5 in one of the biggest fights in ONE Championship’s 2022 calendar. Unfortunately for de Ridder, it was Malykhin who took the first-round knockout win and the ONE light heavyweight world title.
The fight saw the 6-foot-4 de Ridder register his first professional loss while giving Malykhin double-world champion status in ONE Championship.
In an interview with South China Morning Post, the reigning ONE middleweight world champion said the weight and size difference between them was too much to overcome:
“Not even just to strategize but he came down from heavyweight and was probably around 105 kilos in the [circle]. It’s not that easy to put on weight, man. Maybe in the [circle] if I was lucky, I was 96 kilos. That’s a pretty big gap and he’s a power puncher and he did very well.”
After the bout, the 5-foot-11 Malykhin added the light heavyweight strap to his ONE interim heavyweight world title as well as a cool $100,000 bonus.
Watch de Ridder's entire interview below:
