Banario-Oishi One FC rematch Dec. 6 at MOA Arena

KNOCKED out in his last fight, Honorio “The Rock”’ Banario has been patiently waiting to get back at Koji Oishi and reclaim the One Fighting Championship featherweight belt.

The hard-striking wushu fighter will finally earn the chance to redeem himself in a highly anticipated rematch with the reigning Japanese world champion on Dec. 6 at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.

Oishi, a veteran of 44 fights and a former lightweight king of Pancrase, stripped Banario of the One FC featherweight title with a perfectly timed counter right hand that floored the Baguio-based warrior in the second round of their duel last May before a stunned crowd of 20,000 at MOA.

“We are coming back to Manila to put on one of the greatest fight cards in Asian MMA history,” said One FC CEO Victor Cui.

“We know that the fans have been eagerly hoping for a rematch between Oishi and Banario and we are delivering what they want.”

Filipino strikers Eduard Folayang and Geje Eustaquio will be in the fight card along with PH female boxer Jujeath Nagaowa, who will be making her One FC debut. Matchmakers of the largest MMA promotion in Asia have yet to announce their foes.

Banario, a member of the popular Team Lakay where he trains alongside fellow local champions Folayang and Kevin Belingon under head coach Mark Sangiao, is the first Filipino to win an MMA world title before Oishi knocked him out.

An Asian Games gold medalist in wushu, Folayang, the reigning URCC welterweight champion, is considered the best ever Filipino light-weight while Eustaquio, who also trains under Team Lakay, is a skilled flyweight looking for a title shot. June Navarro