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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Filipino stars bare who they want to face in UFC

Filipino stars bare who they want to face in UFC

Published Jan 7, 2022 11:18 am
Team Lakay

With ONE Championship becoming the premiere martial arts organization over the past decade, talks of crossover matches with fighters from the UFC have grown.

Even some of the biggest stars in the Philippines shared who they would face if given a chance. There’s no question that these matches will be highly-anticipated if they push through.

Three of the biggest local athletes give their take on which UFC fighters they wish to face. 

Joshua Pacio 

For ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio, a crossover fight between him and UFC Flyweight World Champion Brandon Moreno would be huge, especially given their similarities in explosiveness.

“It would be an honor to compete against him. I feel like if I can do it right, I will be stronger and more explosive as a flyweight,” he stated. 

Selecting Moreno isn’t out of spite, but instead out of admiration seeing how the first Mexican-born UFC World Champion overcame the odds to attain success.

“He has a very inspiring journey. Despite all those setbacks, he vowed to be a World Champion. He worked for it and persevered, and now he’s proven true to his word,” Pacio continued.

“It’s like our story in Team Lakay. A lot of us struggled and came from nothing, but this sport opened doors and opportunities for us.”

Eduard Folayang

Former two-time ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang named former two-division UFC World Champion Conor McGregor as his desired dance partner. 

“I think style-wise, I will have a great match with Conor . He’s more of a striker, and for me, this will be an ideal clash,” the 38-year-old wushu specialist said. 

“I want this to happen mainly because it will be a fascinating match between the two of us.”

Their varying pre-match demeanor is another noteworthy subplot for this dream fight. McGregor is known for his over-the-top trash-talking, while Folayang is one of the nicest people in MMA.

Lito Adiwang 

Like Pacio, Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang also wishes to challenge Moreno if given a chance. 

Not one to back down from a fight, Adiwang sees an action-packed affair between him and the Mexican submission artist.

“At the end of the day, as a dreamer, a fighter, and a warrior, I want to test myself against him because he’s such an explosive fighter. For sure, this will be an exciting fight for the fans,” Adiwang said. 

“On my end, that’s the kind of fighter I want to face, and that’s what I want my fans to see.”

Read More From ONE Championship:   

Adriano Moraes Wins 2021 MMA Knockout Of The Year  

5 MMA Fights We Want To See In 2022  

5 Muay Thai And Kickboxing Fights We’d Love To See In 2022  

Related Tags

Team Lakay ONE Championship
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