FORMER ONE lightweight world champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang has no plans of ending his MMA career just yet, but he is looking ahead to helping secure the future of Philippine mixed martial arts.
A pioneer of the sport in the country and long credited as the the face of Philippine MMA, Folayang has reached great heights, including winning the ONE Lightweight world title twice in his illustrious 16-year MMA career.
While he believes he still has a lot left in his gas tank, “Landslide” is already paying it forward through the formation of Lions Nation MMA – the newest team in the highlands that aims to help athletes looking to follow in his footsteps.
“As someone who’s been called ‘the face of Philippine MMA,’ there’s a heavy responsibility that comes with it which I don’t take lightly,” Folayang said in the team launch at Landslide Martial Arts Training Center over the weekend.
"I hope my legacy inspires more athletes to strive harder and share their talent to the world. That’s very important to me.”
Developing the next ONE world champion is certainly on Folayang’s mind, however, it’s not the end-all, be-all for him and the new team that was formed after his falling-out with the Team Lakay stable.
What’s more important for Folayang is developing a fighter who isn’t just good with his fists and feet, but someone who’s also involved in the community, similar to him and the rest of his teammates.
While Folayang was on top of the division, he was also the perfect role model to his followers, often giving an image of a calm, disciplined fighter who would not think twice about reaching out to his community, particularly in the tight-knit culture of Benguet.
“Our vision here in Lions Nation MMA is to transform martial artists into leaders and agents of change,” he said.
“Our hope is that no one in this group will slip into something that will be a detriment to them. I believe that everyone in this group is a leader in their own way because we have our talents and our own dominions where we can practice our leadership skills.”
With that in mind, he knows that he’s ready to take the next step in fulfilling his role as a pioneer of the sport in the country, all while trying to bring himself back into the mix of contenders in the already loaded ONE lightweight division.
“I’ve always believed that being the ‘face of Philippine MMA’ is an important role I have to fulfill – [it all starts with] how I can share and help the people around me,” he said.
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