Eduard Folayang has never once taken an opponent lightly in his long and storied career, and he is not about to start now.
The former ONE Lightweight MMA World Champion faces Shozo Isojima in the co-main event of The Inner Circle 21 on July 10, broadcasting via live.onefc.com, and the Filipino legend is approaching the contest with the same respect and caution that has defined his approach throughout a remarkable career.
Folayang, 42, is one of the most experienced fighters on the ONE roster. The Lions Nation MMA product carries 23 career wins and 13 ONE victories into the contest, with a championship pedigree that speaks for itself. Yet despite the vast experience advantage he holds over his 28-year-old opponent, the Filipino legend is not allowing that edge to breed complacency.
"I've never underestimated any opponent, and I never will. I can't say I'm more experienced, although it is an advantage for me, but nothing is certain in this sport," he said.
Isojima arrives as one of the more intriguing prospects in the lightweight division. The Japanese judoka carries a 6-2 MMA record into the co-main event, having made an explosive entrance to the promotion before back-to-back losses stalled his momentum.
The gap in experience between the two fighters is vast, but Folayang knows better than anyone that youth and hunger can be just as dangerous as a submission or a knockout.
"This is a good test for me. He's a lot younger than me. I'm looking at a lot of areas that make him dangerous and erring with caution on these exchanges," he explained.
When it comes to predictions, the Filipino veteran is keeping his cards close to his chest. The only certainty in his mind is the outcome, and he is happy to let fight night fill in the blanks.
"The biggest prediction is I'll win. How? I guess your guess is as good as mine. I'll leave it as a question for now and have the answers come fight time. I'm just predicting I'll win in any way I can," he added.
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