Former ONE Lightweight MMA World Champion, Eduard ‘Landslide’ Folayang, is approaching a crossroads in his illustrations career, but his passion for fighting continues to burn. Following his victory against Amir Khan last year, Folayang is focused solely on matchups that can further solidify his legacy.

In a recent interview with Tiebreaker Times, Folayang voiced his aspiration to challenge his fellow countryman, the legendary eight-division boxing world champion Manny Pacquiao. He said, “He is what we call the gold standard of sports here in the Philippines. If given the opportunity, why would I refuse? That would be an honor.” This news is sure to thrill combat sports fans and Filipinos, as it could bring together two Philippine legends in the ring.

Eduard Folayang’s potential fight news surfaced around the same time MMA legend Quinton “Rampage” Jackson hinted at a potential boxing match with his former opponent, Rashad Evans. Jackson teased this potential fight during a recent episode of the Joe Rogan Experience a few weeks ago, saying it might happen at a ONE Championship event, possibly in Atlanta.

As it was not confirmed nor denied by the promotion, the door remains open for the fight to take place at ONE 169: Atlanta, scheduled in November. With ONE being known to showcase multiple disciplines of martial arts in its events, it’s not outside the realm of possibility to see one or both legendary boxing pairings go down in a future ONE event. 

Eduard Folayang is one of the athletes who has been with ONE Championship since its inception. He competed in the promotion’s first-ever event, ONE: Champion vs. Champion, in 2011 against A-Sol Kwon. Since then, he has built an impressive resume that shouldn’t be underestimated, even by Manny Pacquiao.

Eduard Folayang’s achievements

Eduard ‘Landslide’ Folayang’s fight was originally scheduled against Ole Laursen. However, Laursen suffered a knee injury and was replaced by South Korean A Sol Kwon, who was on a six-fight winning streak at the time. Despite this, Folayang won via unanimous decision.

After working his way up the rankings, he had the opportunity to win ONE gold when he squared off against the then-titleholder, Shinya Aoki, at ONE: For Honor back in 2016. Folayang knocked out the Japanese icon to claim the ONE Lightweight MMA World Title. After successfully defending the title against EV Ting, he received recognition from his idol and inspiration, who called him “one of the legends of mixed martial arts.”

After some time, Folayang’s career took a downturn. He then took a break, trained with the world-famous Jackson Wink MMA Academy in America, and launched his own gym, Lion’s Nation MMA. Following these developments, his return fight against Amir Khan demonstrated that his struggles were likely temporary. This successful comeback might pose a challenge to Manny Pacquiao, who is certainly aware of Folayang’s capabilities.

What are your thoughts on the potential boxing match between Eduard Folayang and Manny Pacquiao? Who do you think will win this clash of titans? Share your thoughts in the comments below.