Evolve MMA has a slew of top-notch mixed martial artists within their stable, but one name that keeps getting brought up as “the next big thing” is Benedict Ang.

The undefeated Singaporean featherweight will take on fellow unbeaten prospect, Ahmed “The Wolverine” Mujtaba, at ONE: DEFENDING HONOR on Friday Night, 11 November, in front of a hometown crowd at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

“He comes from a submission background, so I am guessing he is a grappler,” Ang says of his opponent. “I am not really bothered by him because I am not going to be able to control what he does. I am just focused on myself, bringing the best of me out there and putting on a fight.”

Mujtaba has built quite the name for himself over the past three years. The 23-year-old Pakistani holds a perfect 5-0 record with all of his fights ending in submission, including a tap out due to strikes. Along the way, he claimed the UGB Featherweight Title, as well as one gold, one silver, and two bronze medals in the Pakistan Grappling Championship.

Ang, a 20-year-old who puts a lot of pressure on his own shoulders, understands his opponent’s strengths, but is prepared for every situation. In fact, he has been visualizing the contest and already has a clear picture in his head as to how he will put away “The Wolverine.”

“I am not sure how good he is taking a punch, so I see myself hurting him in the first round,” Ang says. “And, if he does not go down, I will finish him in the second round.”

The Singaporean is confident in his skills, as he should be. He has a 3-0 record, with all of his professional bouts having been on the big stage in ONE Championship. Truth be told, it seems like Ang has always excelled in whatever he set out to do.

At the tender age of 17, Ang decided to take part in his first amateur outing. He was still in high school at the time and playing football on the Singapore National Team.

“When I first got started with Evolve MMA, I was just training as a normal student. I had no intention to fight,” he admits. “I was coming to class irregularly. My first MMA instructor, Eddie Ng, gave me tickets to his fight at ONE Championship and after that, I was ready to fight.

“I said, ‘Ok, I want to do this.’ I dedicated all my time into training. I made it a point to go to Evolve every single day and, when it was right, there was an amateur fight for me to take. Eddie thought I was ready, so I just went on with it and I never looked back since.”

Most kids his age were taking their schooling very seriously and looking to continue to find the career of their dreams. For Ang, he did not care what others thought when it came to his mixed martial arts training. In fact, many of his friends were very supportive. But others were shocked.

“All my regular friends were like, ‘Are you serious?’ At school you are used to getting into fights, but they did not think I was going to be so serious in it,” he explains. “All my close friends support me.

“As for my peers and my teachers, they were all quite shocked. They did not expect someone to be so into mixed martial arts. They thought [the way to go] would be to study well and get a diploma and have a safe career path.

“I believe at the end of the day I would regret it [if I did not take up the opportunity] because I am only young once, and I believe this is the time to do it.”

He racked up six amateur wins before turning professional, which is a big step for any mixed martial artist. When a fighter takes their career to the next level like that, a lot goes through their mind, especially when it comes to the talent they will be facing.

Ang feels no differently, but he has put even more pressure on himself. “He is just another man that breathes oxygen,” said Ang. “We are just two men, wanting the same thing.”

The Singaporean featherweight made a successful professional debut in May 2015 at ONE: WARRIOR’S QUEST, where he earned a unanimous decision win over Pakistan’s Waqar Umar.

He followed that up with a TKO victory over Yohan Mulia Legowo at ONE: PRIDE OF LIONS later that November, and scored a second consecutive TKO against Jimmy Yabo at ONE: ASCENT TO POWER this past May.

Despite getting the wins, Ang is critical of his performances. “My first fight, I could have done a lot better. My second fight finished the way I saw it finished. My third fight finished the way I wanted it to, but I was not happy with my performance,” he says.

“The finish I saw should have come in the first round. I just was not flowing or doing anything. I felt I was not there for my last fight.”

In that sense, Ang is a perfectionist. But his ambitions of championship gold may have to be put on hold. One of his training partners, Amir Khan, is currently enlisted in the Singapore National Service and Ang will be coming upon that time in 2017, as well.

So despite him being 3-0, and potentially 4-0 following this match, the title picture is not something he is thinking about for the upcoming calendar year. He does have a personal time frame for the title, but National Service comes first.

“In 2017, I will most likely have to serve my nation,” he says. “I will probably go for National Service for two years. During that time, I may be able to train, I may be able to fight, I may not. I really do not know, so right now I am not really focused on a title.

“I am just trying to get every single fight I can, fix my errors, and just keep improving. But the personal time frame I give myself is three years after I finish my National Service, that is when I believe I will be absolutely ready to become the champion.”

However, he has one more step to take, and that is his upcoming battle with “The Wolverine”.

Eduard Folayang has yearned for a chance to become the ONE Lightweight World Champion ever since he headlined the organization’s first-ever event five years ago.

It is an obsession that has taken a physical and emotional toll on him. But on 11 November, he will finally get his shot at reigning champ Shinya Aoki’s belt at ONE: DEFENDING HONOR in the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

“My journey in ONE Championship ever since my first fight has been a roller coaster,” said Folayang. “There were moments in my career when I was already near to a title shot, but suddenly I lost the momentum. And then I climbed the ladder again and fell again.

“This time I really pushed hard to be on the top, and finally after five years I have the chance to be fighting for the title.”

However, fighting for the belt goes much deeper than simply adding a world title to his many accolades. For the man known as “Landslide,” it is the culmination of his life’s work, and a tribute to the people, community, and society that raised him.

Growing up in Baguio City, Philippines, Folayang’s family was tragically impoverished. The Filipino was one of nine children, five of which passed away due to sickness because they did not have access to proper medical care.

His father worked as a laborer and part-time farmer, his mother worked at a laundromat, and both of his parents never learned to read or write. It is something they made sure their children would.  

“My parents sacrificed a lot to bring us to school. Sometimes they even borrowed money just for us to pay our tuition fees,” recalled Folayang sadly. “In their daily lives they didn’t focus on just one job, they found extra work that they could do so that it would compensate the needs that we had.”

Though his parents had hoped he would become a police officer following his education, Folayang had other plans. He picked up wushu and took up a scholarship in college to help pay his way through school and lessen the burden on his parents. It would prove to be a decision that would change his life forever.

After proving talented enough to join the Philippines Wushu Team, Folayang won eleven major medals including three golds at the Southeast Asian Games. Plus, while still actively competing in the sport, he transitioned to MMA in 2007, and did so all while working as an English and Physical Education high school teacher after graduating from the University of the Cordilleras.

As the most prominent member of Team Lakay, “Landslide” made his professional MMA debut for Filipino promotion URCC in June 2007 against the promotion’s then-undefeated welterweight champion Allan Co. He knocked out the champ in the first round and took home the belt.

MMA would become the means for him to inspire others with his abilities.

“The reason I compete in mixed martial arts is because I have the passion for it, and because I know God has given me the ability to influence my countrymen in this sport,” Folayang says. “There are a lot of problems in the Philippines. We’ve seen the effect of drugs on the Filipino people.

“I’m so proud to be a Filipino. Fighting not only for yourself, but for your nation. Representing your countrymen despite the fact that our country has different tribes, there are a lot of differences, but gathering everyone and representing them in an event is a very happy moment for me.

“As an athlete, I want to inspire the youth to not waste their lives on doing drugs, but to find the purpose of their existence; to find if they have the talent in sports or whatever areas they are talented in.

“I want them to be inspired and I want them to make it not only in the Philippines, but also globally.”

In the next four years, he racked up eight more wins and one loss before signing with ONE Championship. Though Folayang has experienced some tough breaks over his time in the promotion, he turned his luck around over the past two years.

He decisioned battle-tested veteran Tetsuya Yamada at ONE: CLASH OF HEROES back in January, and followed that up with a hard-earned decision over the iron-chinned Adrian Pang at ONE: HEROES OF THE WORLD in August.

However, now that he finally has a shot at gold, Folayang has made it more about national pride rather than personal glory.

After all, he knows how seeing a homegrown athlete go into battle for a prestigious title can inspire a new generation of Filipinos to chase their dreams and achieve greatness. He saw for himself the cultural impact Brandon Vera had when he claimed the ONE World Heavyweight Title last December at ONE: SPIRIT OF CHAMPIONS.

“It was a great success not only for Brandon (Vera), but for the Filipino fans as well. Winning that belt gave a lot of motivation to the fans and aspiring fighters. They really want to push themselves to also be getting the belt and giving glory to our country.

“What Manny Pacquio did in boxing I also want to do it in MMA. The sport will be a huge inspiration to the youth. I want not only to get the belt but also to be a good example to the community.”

Of course, Folayang also wants to make his family proud and, in a way, winning the belt is the greatest way to thank the two people who worked long hours and sacrificed nearly every materialistic joy just to bring some to his life.

“I do my best in this endeavor because I really want to provide for my parents and take care of them, especially since they are already in their old age,” he admits. “I want to show them that their sacrifices were worth it by pushing myself to be successful.”

“My parents are my inspiration. They always encourage me and pray for me. I really don’t want to waste the love that they are giving me, so I really push myself harder so that in my fight I can be able to give my best.

“I can already foresee that my parents will cry and have a lot of tears when they see me bringing home the belt. I’ll do whatever it takes to see that.”

Paris – Andy Murray laboured past a determined Fernando Verdasco to reach the last 16 of the Paris Masters on Wednesday and keep the pressure on world number one Novak Djokovic.

Murray is seeking to end Djokovic’s l22-week reign at the top, but the Briton was pushed to the limit by Verdasco in the French capital before prevailing 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 7-5.

The second seed raced through the opening set but was forced into a decider after Verdasco, who had lost in the first round in five of his past six tournaments, levelled in a tie-break.

The Spaniard then saw two break points pass him by at 5-all in the third set, with Murray breaking the following game to finally end Verdasco’s resistance.

“It wasn’t the best match from my side. I got through it. I will play better tomorrow,” said Murray after sealing his 70th win of the season.

“I didn’t get any time on that court, because matches are from 11:00 in the morning and guys have warmup. So I have hit for like 45 minutes on the court beforehand, and it’s very different to last week, very different conditions.” Murray, a winner in Beijing, Shanghai and Vienna in his past three events, will continue his assault on Djokovic when he faces Lucas Pouille for a place in the quarter-finals.

Djokovic, the record four-time champion, marched into the third round with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller.

The Serb needed four set points before claiming the opener, with Djokovic then breaking at 4-all in the second to extend his Paris winning streak to 16 matches.

“It was great to start off the way I did today,” said Djokovic.

“Not an easy opponent, definitely, because he serves and volleys, and I found the conditions quite quick, quicker maybe than they have been last year.

“But nevertheless, I think I managed to find the right rhythm, right pace from the very beginning.” Djokovic – winner of the last three editions of this tournament – will meet 14th seed Grigor Dimitrov on Thursday.

The 29-year-old must reach the final in Paris to guarantee he extends his stay at number one with Murray rapidly closing in on the Serb.

Third seeded Stan Wawrinka, the US Open champion, squandered a match point in the second set tiebreak to lose 3-6, 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/1) to German qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff.

World 91 Struff will face America’s John Isner for a place in the quarter-finals.

Dominic Thiem faces an anxious wait to see if he qualifies for the World Tour Finals in London after slumping to a 6-2, 6-4 defeat against Jack Sock.

Thiem entered this week’s tournament occupying one of the final two qualifying spots for London, but his second-round exit has left his place in the eight-man field vulnerable.

The Austrian dropped his opening service game against Sock, setting the tone for a dismal afternoon as the American blew away the sixth seed in under an hour.

Thiem has won four titles this season and reached the semi-finals of the French Open, but his subsequent dip in form could prove costly with five players still fighting for the remaining two London berths.

Marin Cilic, a winner in Basel at the weekend, further bolstered his chances of playing at the November 13-20 event by defeating compatriot Ivo Karlovic 7-6 (9/7), 6-2.

With Rafael Nadal calling an early end to his season, the Croat is eighth in the Race to London standings and will face David Goffin for a place in the quarter-finals.

Belgian Goffin is still in the hunt after beating Nicolas Mahut 7-6 (9/7), 6-2, while 2008 Paris champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga cruised past Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-3, 6-4.

However, Roberto Bautista Agut’s London bid ended as the Spaniard squandered three match points before going down 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (8/6) to Gilles Simon.

The Frenchman plays Tomas Berdych next with the Czech looking to return to the Tour finals for a seventh straight year.

Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori collected his 300th career win by knocking off Serbia’s Viktor Troicki 6-2, 7-5 to take his place in the last 16.