FILE – Team Lakay world champions at ONE Championship. ONE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—After Eduard Folayang and Kevin Belingon’s departure from Team Lakay, two more former champions followed suit in leaving the Baguio-based stable.
Honorio Banario, ONE’s inaugural featherweight champion back in 2013, bid his farewell to Team Lakay and expressed his gratitude to his longtime coach Mark Sangiao on social media.
“Unfortunately, with the start of my new chapter in the world of combat sports, I will no longer be a part of Team Lakay. I am more than thankful for every member of Team Lakay whom I trained with every day, especially our coach, Mark Sangiao,” wrote Banario, who had been with Team Lakay since 2010.
“Team Lakay more than gave me my life.”
Ex-strawweight king Joshua Pacio appears to have left Team Lakay as well with Sangiao mentioning his name in a post.
“On behalf of Team Lakay and I, wish you all well in your next step. The decision has been made among us and I’m glad we had that final graceful goodbyes talk. God Bless all of us and all the best. Regards to your Manong Eduard Landslide Folayang, Kevin ‘ The Silencer’ Belingon, and Ading Joshua Felix Pacio,” said Sangiao.
Pacio, however, has yet to make an official statement regarding the matter.
The 27-year-old Pacio yielded his belt after falling to Jarred Brooks three months ago at Mall of Asia Arena.