EDUARD "Landslide" Folayang is fully aware of the caliber of his next foe Yoshihiro "Sexyama" Akiyama.
Despite the advantage in experience of the Korean-Japanese, the two-time ONE Lightweight World Champion has no doubt that he's already one-upped him even before they meet at ONE on TNT 4.
"Ngayon pa lang, mas sexy na ako," he joked during the virtual media day for Team Lakay on Tuesday in a playful jab at Akiyama's moniker.
Folayang, who holds a 22-10 win-loss card, acknowledges how important a win is at this stage of his career, all the more against someone like Akiyama (15-7, 2 NC), who was a former UFC fighter and a gold medalist in judo in the 2002 Asian Games.
"I think it will be a career-booster," he said. "Syempre si Sexyama, mabigat yung pangalan niya. Getting a win over him, malalaman ng mga taga-Korea at Japan na mas sexy ang tiga-Pilipinas. Yan ang isa na mabibigay ng panalo natin against this guy. We need to do our part para makuha natin 'yung panalo dito."
Used to being the more seasoned fighter, the 37-year-old Folayang suddenly is at the younger end of the spectrum this time as he faces the 45-year-old Akiyama.
"Mas matanda ang kalaban ko ngayon at ang dami niya na ring pinagdaanan sa malalaking organizations," he admitted.
Yet like in his other fights, these factors hardly matter for Landslide.
"Kung sino man ang kalaban ko, talagang iniisip ko na naghahanda yan. As much as possible, if you're preparing, prepare for the worst thing to come. Kailangan i-push mo talaga ang sarili mo," said the Igorot warrior.
Those were the lessons Folayang picked up in his latest skid, which saw him lose to Pieter Buist at ONE: Fire & Fury in January last year and to Antonio Caruso at ONE: Inside The Matrix in October.
"I learned my lesson sa past fights ko, especially yung recent and I dont wan't to do that again," he said. "Kailangan mas maganda ang adjustment this time and at least, naranasan ko yung battle fight competition. Alam ko na i-adjust sarili ko for the next fight."
There is no question on Folayang's drive to get back to his winning ways and come out with a triumph at ONE on TNT 4 on April 28 in Singapore.
"Syempre gusto nating ipakita yung isa sa pinakamagandang highlight ng career natin as MMA practitioner," he noted. "'Yun ang gusto nating iwan sa laban na ito, yung magandang performance at convincing win talaga. Kung hindi man convincing, finish siguro."
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