Folayang aims to take home ONE Championship’s intricately-crafted belt

SINGAPORE – Filipino fighter Eduard Folayang received numerous medals as an international Wushu Sanshou competitor and won championship belts in mixed martial arts (MMA) organizations such as Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC) and Martial Combat. 

But the only accolade missing in Folayang’s trophy room is a world title in ONE Championship. 

The 32-year-old Baguio City native will have the opportunity to bring home the ONE Championship lightweight title as he challenges longtime division kingpin Shinya Aoki in the main event of the “Defending Honor” card, which takes place at the 12,000-capacity Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore on Friday, November 11.

Winning the ONE Championship lightweight belt will not only put Folayang in history books as the fifth homegrown Pinoy to claim an MMA world title, but he will also have an intricately-crafted hardware in his possession. 

Beyond the prestige that marks the bearer as the best fighter in his weight class across the Asian region, the belt is designed as a symbolic ornament of honor and glory. 

Weighing more than 7 kilograms, the jewel-encrusted silver and gold-plated belt is mounted by hand on a thick natural leather strap that is locked together securely with 10 steel studs. 

The pair of warring lions that frame the centerpiece ONE Championship logo represents royalty and prestige, and it is complimented by a crown motif at the belt’s apex. 

Two blood-red rubies are placed in the eyes of the lions, while two secondary plates added eminent value to the handmade masterpiece as it is studded with 52 crystals on each side. 

“Our belt is definitely one of the richest prizes in the world of mixed martial arts today. We make sure that the bearer of our championship title represents a prestigious piece that reflects the true value of martial arts,” ONE Championship chief executive officer Victor Cui told Rappler. 

Folayang, who will be setting foot on a world title stage for the first time in his 9-year professional career, stressed that capturing the ONE Championship lightweight belt by defeating a high-profile opponent like Aoki will seal his legacy as a world-class MMA athlete.

“Aoki is a legend in mixed martial arts, and beating him will also make me a legend. That will be a great motivation for me.  I want to get that belt. I believe this is my time. When that time comes, I will be the next legend,” Folayang said. – Rappler.com