Filipino finisher Carlo Bumina-ang enters ONE Fight Night 39 with a sense of urgency, facing undefeated Brazilian Marcos Aurelio on 24 January in a bantamweight MMA bout that could define the trajectory of his career.
The 31-year-old understands the stakes heading into this critical matchup, acknowledging the pressure that comes with promotional losses.
"I feel like my back is against the wall since I now have two losses in ONE. My mentality right now is simply kill or get killed," Bumina-ang declared.
The Filipino fighter's promotional journey began explosively in 2023 when he knocked out Reza Saedi in just 52 seconds during his ONE Friday Fights debut. That spectacular introduction launched a dominant run through the developmental series that included victories over Denis Andreev, Ilyas Dursun, and Xie Zhipeng.
Bumina-ang's fifth consecutive win proved to be his most significant when he submitted Chayan Oorzhak, earning a US$100,000 main roster contract.
The step up in competition brought immediate challenges. Future ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu submitted Bumina-ang in his main roster debut, delivering the Filipino's first promotional setback.
Determined to prove his championship-level credentials, Bumina-ang responded with consecutive TKO victories over Song Min Jong and Mauro Mastromarini, showcasing the finishing power that earned him his contract.
However, his most recent outing against undefeated Elbek Alyshov ended in disappointment when he tapped to a guillotine choke.
Now, Bumina-ang meets another unbeaten challenger in Aurelio, who carries an 8-0 professional MMA record into his promotional debut.
Despite the pressure of his recent losses, Bumina-ang maintains respect for his opponent while embracing the challenge.
"He'll probably be fired up because he's making his debut, and he wants to keep his undefeated record. But I respect him. He's a well-rounded opponent, and I'm excited to face him," the Filipino stated.
While Aurelio's Muay Thai background suggests a striking-based approach, Bumina-ang has prepared for all scenarios, particularly grappling exchanges where his recent vulnerabilities might be exploited.
"He's a striker, but I won't underestimate him on the ground. I need to be wary because I believe he'll try to test my grappling. My two losses were by submission, so he'll probably think he can take me there. But I'll prove him wrong if he tries," Bumina-ang promised.
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