Moises “The Lion King” Ilogon is turning to the Philippine Olympians who’ve been surging in the 2024 Paris Olympics as he marks his return to the ONE Friday Fight series.
The 23-year-old targets his second straight win at Lumpinee Stadium against dangerous Lee Seung Chul in a three-round strawweight MMA bout at ONE Friday Fights 74 on August 9 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Though he’s been busy preparing for this match, Ilogon was nonetheless glued to his screen as gymnast Carlos Yulo won gold medals for the Philippines on consecutive nights in the floor exercise and vault events at the quadrennial sporting spectacle.
Boxer Nesthy Petecio can still win a gold medal as well, while Aira Villegas took home bronze in her Olympics debut.
Ilogon, once a national athlete who competed in Kun Khmer in the Southeast Asian Games, is certainly fired up to make a name for himself in his old sport.
"Seeing my fellow Filipinos achieve such incredible feats on the world stage is inspiring. It motivates me to push harder and give my best in my upcoming fight,” he said.
“Their success is a reminder of what we can accomplish with hard work and dedication. I’m inspired to give it my all and contribute to the pride of our country.”
He won’t have it easy against the debuting South Korean, himself riding a seven-fight win streak, with all those victories coming from finishes.
One of those finishes included a first-round knockout over former ONE Strawweight MMA World Title challenger Rene Catalan, a win that certainly caught the attention of ONE Championship when the promotion scouted him.
Ilogon also has power in his strikes and the finishing instinct to end a fight, evident in his debut against Cho Joon Gun. He folded the Korean with a body shot before ending him with punches on the canvas.
As hard as this fight will be, Ilogon is determined to leave his mark.
“I respect Lee’s skills and his reputation, but I’m focused on my own game plan and capabilities,” he said.
“This is an opportunity for me to show that Filipino fighters can excel on any stage, against any opponent.”
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