Ting: My game plan didn’t work

Ev Ting gave it his all against ONE Lightweight Champion Eduard Folayang. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net

Ev Ting admitted that he lost to a better fighter on Friday in the main event of ONE: Kings of Destiny.

“You Filipinos should be really proud of your champion. Much respect,” he said after failing to snag the ONE Lightweight Championship from Eduard Folayang at Mall of Asia Arena. “I’m speechless. He did everything in the fight, and you guys should be very proud of a champion like him.”

The Kiwi-Malaysian challenger stood toe-to-toe with the Igorot titlist for five rounds but failed to execute his gameplan as Folayang took control for the majority of the match.

READ: Tough test ahead for Ting, assure Folayang

“My gameplan was to stand in the middle of the cage. I’m a high-intensity fighter and I like to engage in scrambles and fights and 50-50 situations, but the champion played the right game. He did everything possible and everything necessary to win the fight. I guess my gameplan didn’t work and the champ’s did,” he said.

Ting did have his chances in the match, most notably in the third round where his early exchange left Folayang with a cut on the right cheek. But the champion’s experience proved to be a factor as he displayed his prowess in counter-fighting which kept the challenger at bay.

“Every time he can find you, his first line of attack will be his kicks. If you inch into his range, it will be a kick. I had to pick my opportunities to get in and you take some to give some, but I didn’t capitalize to get the finish today. I did connect a few times, but I wish he didn’t catch my legs so I could keep on capitalizing. I did hurt him a couple of times, I saw it in his eyes,” he said.

READ: Folayang successfully defends ONE Lightweight title

“But like I said, Folayang had the right gameplan. If you inched into his range, you’d eat a big kick and that’s what I managed to eat a lot of. He had the right gameplan for me tonight. I just couldn’t manage to get inside and finish the takedown and work for a good finish. He was as good in the exchanges and the scrambles. He was the better man tonight.”

Falling short in his attempt to claim the throne, Ting said that the match could only serve beneficial for him as he looks to bounce back from this humbling loss.

“I just really wanted to get into a dogfight with him and he did not engage, so I’m a little bit disappointed in that. I guess next time I should be a little bit more well-timed and a little bit more prepared,” he said.