FORMER two-time ONE Lightweight MMA World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang has been working with Jayson “Dumagmang Warrior” Miralpez for quite some time now and he likes what he sees.
The 22-year-old eyes his second-consecutive win, and his first victory streak in the promotion, when he faces China’s Yeerzati Gemingnuer in a flyweight MMA bout at ONE Friday Fights 113 on June 20 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Like in his previous fights, Miralpez spent a fraction of his training camp in the mountain highlands of Baguio City with Folayang’s Lions Nation MMA, and the 41-year-old Filipino MMA icon is confident that the Bicolano rising star will hurdle his next challenge.
“He trained with us and the only thing I regret is him not spending a longer time here,” Folayang said.
“I believe he’s developed the experience now, and he’s shown great heart in the past, so I believe he’ll win his next fight.”
Folayang noted how Miralpez’s fearlessness is an asset that makes him stand out from the rest, most notable in his loss against Robson de Oliveira where he willingly rolled with the dangerous BJJ black belt and even had the Brazilian in a lot of compromised positions.
Facing a KO artist in Ryuya Hatakeyama, he stood with the Japanese fighter and knocked him out for his first win.
“He’s a complete package. He’s got a do-or-die attitude. He’s not afraid, he doesn’t care what belt you’re holding in jiu-jitsu, he’ll go at you. He won’t allow you to impose your will and that’s one thing that I love about him. He’ll fight at his own pace,” he said.
“His skills and his mind can still be sharpened even further and I know that he will still be better.”
With that said, Folayang believes there are great things ahead for Miralpez as long as he stays on track.
“It’s all about sharpening his skills now. He’s got the heart to fight and I believe he can be a champion someday,” he said.
