Folayang banking on experience against Nguyen: ‘I have been fighting for a long time’

ONE lightweight champion Eduard Folayang hopes to use his experience against Australian challenger Martin Nguyen in the main event of ONE: Legends of the World on Friday at Mall of Asia Arena.

Folayang, who owns an 18-5 record, has more than twice as many fights as Nguyen (9-1).

“My biggest advantage against him is my experience because I have been fighting for a long time,” Folayang, who made his MMA debut in 2007 as part of URCC, told INQUIRER.net in a press conference Tuesday at City of Dreams Manila.

Nguyen, the current featherweight champion, will be going up in weight against Folayang. But Team Lakay’s prized ward doesn’t think their weight difference is going to be much of a factor come fight night.

“I think I’ll just be three to four pounds heavier than him inside the cage,” Folayang said in Filipino.

The 28-year-old Nguyen aims to become the first fighter in ONE Championship to hold two titles in two different weight classes at once.

Folayang, who turns 33 on Nov. 22, is also banking on homecourt edge with Friday’s event expected to draw a sellout crowd.

“I’ve fought many times here in the Philippines and there’s really nothing like it fighting in front of your hometown crowd,” Folayang, who outpointed Ev Ting in his first title defense last April at MOA Arena, said in Filipino.