ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix semifinals between Eduard Folayang and Eddie Alvarez. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Eduard Folayang couldn’t sustain his momentum and submitted to Eddie Alvarez’ rear-naked choke in the first round of their ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix semifinals bout Friday at Mall of Asia Arena.
Alvarez was the subject of Folayang’s onslaught early on but managed to escape the ground and pound and transitioned into the mount.
READ: Alvarez ready to take risk vs Folayang, looks to end clash by ‘knockout or submission’
Eddie Alvarez overcomes Eduard Folayang’s fearsome wushu striking to score a submission victory and a spot in the ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix finals! @Ealvarezfight #WeAreONE #DawnOfHeroes #Manila #MartialArts pic.twitter.com/GsC9RNqL9F
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) August 2, 2019
Folayang (21-8) gave up his back and that proved to be a crucial mistake with Alvarez locking up “The Landslide” and tapping him out 2:16 into the fight.
READ: Eddie Alvarez says he’s ‘better fighter by far’ than Eduard Folayang
“I imagined this, pictured this in my head, my team and I saw this in my head,” said Alvarez (30-7). “We persevered, dealt with adversity and came out with the W.”
“The Underground King” heads to the ONE Lightweight Grand Prix Finals. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
The loss marked Team Lakay’s fourth loss in the card with Danny Kingad the lone martial artist out of that famed Baguio stable to get a victory in ONE: Dawn of Heroes.
READ: Eduard Folayang bracing for well-prepared Eddie Alvarez
Folayang has now lost two straight bouts after he fell unconscious to Shinya Aoki via Arm-Triangle choke, losing his ONE World lightweight title in the process.
Alvarez, meanwhile, won his first fight after dropping his previous two against Timofey Nastyukhin and Dustin Poirier.