ONE Championship has just announced that ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard Folayang will make the first defense of his title against Malaysian Ev Ting.
The bout will headline ONE: KINGS OF DESTINY in Manila, Philippines, on 21 April at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Folayang famously won the World Title in November 2016 with a third-round TKO victory over MMA legend and then-champion Shinya Aoki. It was a performance that won Folayang several honors, including multiple “Fighter of the Year 2016″ awards.
“Winning the title against a legend like Shinya Aoki will forever hold a special place of distinction in my career, but it is only the first step in establishing my legacy,” said Folayang, in the press release to announce the bout. “Before champions are recognized as greats and legends of the sport, every single one of them faced contenders that challenged their prowess as champions. In April, I will have the opportunity to show the world why I hold my coveted title.
“I know how exceptional Ev Ting’s talent is. I am in a tough preparation for this bout,” said Folayang. “This will be my first fight in the Philippines since December 2014. I don’t want to let my countrymen down. I will make sure that the belt stays in the Philippines.”
Ting, on the other hand, earned the right to challenge Folayang after putting together an impressive four-fight win streak, including a hard-fought split decision over former title challenger Kamal Shalorus at ONE: THRONE OF TIGERS in February.
Immediately after the win, Ting called out Folayang in his post-fight interview, and expressed his desire to fight for the title on the Manila card. Folayang was quick to agree over social media, seemingly sealing the deal for the bout to take place weeks ago. Now, it is official.
“I have worked tirelessly to be where I am now. It has finally paid off because I will get an opportunity to vie for a world title,” said Ting. “It’s every mixed martial artist’s dream to become a champion. This is my chance to fulfill that dream. Eduard Folayang is a great champion and is admired by many Filipinos, but he has what I want. I’m coming to Manila to get it from him and bring the belt home to Malaysia.”
