Eustaquio prefers the long road to another ONE FC title shot

MANILA, Philippines – If he secures an impressive victory over Malaysian fighter Gianni Subba on April 15, Geje Eustaquio might place himself on the verge of another shot at ONE Championship’s world flyweight title.

(READ: Eustaquio, Kelly booked for ONE FC’s Manila card in April) 

However, the 26-year-old native of Baguio City revealed that he is not in a hurry and would rather take the long road to a second championship crack than prematurely vie for the gold-plated strap. 

“I don’t race to be in line for that belt, but I’m racing to perfection in MMA,” Eustaquio told Rappler. 

Eustaquio earned his lone previous title shot when he defeated Kentaro Watanabe via unanimous decision in June 2014 to set up a date with fellow contender Adriano Moraes.

Moraes derailed Eustaquio’s title aspirations in September 2014 as the Brazilian combatant submitted the Filipino fighter with a second-round guillotine choke to crown himself as the first ONE flyweight champion.

Although he is considered a top-ranked flyweight in ONE Championship, Eustaquio failed to bounce back from his disappointing loss to Moraes and suffered a stunning defeat at the hands of Anatpong Bunrad in April 2015, yielding to the Thai kickboxer via split decision. 

The string of setbacks compelled Eustaquio to spend his 10-month hiatus honing his striking arsenal and fine-tuning his ground game.

The 5-foot-5 Team Lakay representative reaped the fruits of his labor this past January when he brutally knocked out Malaysian combatant Saiful Merican by delivering a left hook to the temple before clobbering a follow-up soccer kick to force referee Joey Lepiten to halt the contest at the 1:21 mark of the first round.

“Every martial artist should have the sense of growth. This sport is consistently evolving, and every fighter should adapt to changes and improve their overall MMA game. It’s either you adapt or you fail. I learned my lesson, and I chose to adapt for the better,” Eustaquio said.

Subba may be next in line for the ONE flyweight crown if he passes through Eustaquio at ONE: Global Rivals as the Malaysian sensation is riding high on a 4-fight winning streak since losing to Pinoy standout Eugene Toquero in May 2014.

Subba is a threat to Eustaquio’s spot in the rankings, but the latter leans on the learning from the match-up that can benefit his maturity as a prizefighter. 

“I don’t want to rush things. There’s always a right moment. Every fight is a lesson. We, as fighters, gain valuable knowledge every time we train and step into the cage,” Eustaquio stated. 

(READ: Geje Eustaquio prepares for Gianni Subba’s best version)

Eustaquio remains optimistic that the ONE flyweight belt will be fastened around his waist someday.

“I am a fighter who always wishes to give you the best entertainment and the best show you will ever see. That belt will soon be mine. In God’s time,” he ended. – Rappler.com