Eduard Folayang wants to face Eddie Alvarez again
MANILA, Philippines — Eduard Folayang wants another crack at Eddie Alvarez and for good reasons.
The Filipino martial arts star lost to the ex-UFC and Bellator champion last August after nearly stopping him in the first 90 seconds of their ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix semifinal clash.
Article continues after this advertisementA snapping leg kick by Folayang had Alvarez down on the mat and looked done as the Team Lakay veteran went for the ground-and-pound.
But in a wild turn of events, Alvarez managed to gain the upper hand en route to submitting Folayang via rear-naked choke.
“[If I could face anybody], it’s definitely Eddie Alvarez,” Folayang said. “I want to face him again.”
Article continues after this advertisementA major what-if moment, Folayang couldn’t help but rue the lapses he made that led to that stunning loss.
“Back in our match, I had a lot of regrets. I made a lot of mistakes… If given the chance, I believe my performance would be a whole lot better,” Folayang, the former two-time ONE lightweight world champion, said.
“I definitely got careless in that match,” he admitted. “We expected Eddie to be more of a striker, so I was confident when the match hit the ground.
A victory over Alvarez in a possible rematch will also provide Folayang a much-needed boost in his bid for another title shot.
The 36-year-old Folayang has dropped three of his last four fights, including a split decision defeat to Pieter Buist last January in Manila.