Manny Pacquiao crowns a new mixed martial arts icon for Asia

IN a remarkable night of action at the Mall Of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines, Asia's latest mixed martial arts icon, Eduard "Landslide" Folayang, successfully retained his coveted ONE Lightweight World Championship against Malaysian challenger Ev Ting.

In his first title defence, Folayang dazzled and delighted his home crowd at the Mall Of Asia Arena in Manila with his trademark variety of lightning-quick and powerful spinning attacks, pouncing on Ting with side kicks and back fists at every opportunity.

In a formidable display of striking, Folayang produced a career-defining performance. He controlled the action from the opening bell with the intent to counter, allowing Ting to come forward with his attacks before launching his own. In the end, all three judges pronounced Folayang the winner by unanimous decision after five thrilling rounds of intense action.

"I would like to thank Ev Ting, he really came prepared for this fight," said a victorious Eduard Folayang. "We came to give the fans a good fight, and that's what we have done. This is the essence of martial arts - five rounds to show how much we've prepared for a long time."

"This was a classic bout between two different strikers," said Rich Franklin, Vice President, ONE Championship, "Each round, Eduard was just inching it out - little bit more, little bit more, little bit more - and he had a slight lead at the end of the fight, enough to give him the decision, and he walked away with a good decision."

After the bout, eight-division boxing world champion and Filipino sporting icon Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao awarded Folayang the ONE Lightweight World Championship belt.

"It was a real treat for us as an organisation," said Franklin, "I think for Manny as well, to be able to put that belt around the waist of Eduard at the end of the fight. I really believe that this was a passing of the torch from one fighter to another."

Like Pacquiao - who rose up from life on the streets in the Philippines to become one of the greatest boxers of all time - Folayang has overcome abject poverty and a life beset with tragedy to achieve sensational success. In fact, many in the sport are now asking if Folayang is the new Manny Pacquiao.

"Eduard Folayang has the potential to fill the shoes of Manny Pacquiao in the Philippines," says Rich Franklin, "When you look at his back story, I mean, he's one of nine children - five of his siblings passed away at a young age from common illnesses and not having doctors, and just being in a poor family. This is a young man who really just took himself from nothing and became a world champion."

Victor Cui, CEO of ONE Championship, says like Manny Pacquiao, Eduard Folayang represents the dream of many Filipinos. Through hard work and determination, he was able to secure an escape from poverty through combat sports,

"He took an amazing path; he found strength to rise up through the power of martial arts. And now, everywhere he goes - when you see him, when he goes to schools, when he walks the streets - they throw parades for him, and he represents that dream that Filipinos want: that you can go from a life of nothing, where your parents cannot even read, to being university educated, a teacher, and a world champion."

Wushu specialist Folayang's journey to the ONE Championship Lightweight World Championship has been beset with challenges. For five years, he came close to a title shot, but repeatedly lost momentum. Lesser fighters would have fallen by the wayside, but Folayang persisted, and seized his chance for glory in 2016, achieving his lifelong dream to become World Champion.

Folayang has become an icon and role model for his community in Baguio City and across the Philippines. He says he wants to inspire young people, showing them that with hard work and determination, they too can succeed in sport or at anything they choose.

"What Manny Pacquiao did in boxing, I also want to do it in MMA. The sport will be a huge inspiration to the youth. Every time they hear my name, it will always be connected to mixed martial arts," Folayang says.

"As an athlete, I want to inspire the youth to not waste their lives on doing drugs, but to find the purpose of their existence; to find if they have the talent in sports or whatever areas they are talented in. I want them to be inspired, and I want them to make it not only in the Philippines, but also globally."