As Eduard “Landslide” Folayang enters a new yet crucial phase of his professional career as a mixed martial artist, he has garnered a vote of confidence from a respected figurehead of Philippine sports.
The two-time ONE Lightweight World Champion paid a courtesy call on Atty. Richard Clarin—the chairman of the Games and Amusement Board (GAB)—at his office in Makati City.
Folayang bared that he and Clarin touched on several topics during their meeting, including his future plans as a competitor and the current framework of MMA in the country.
"I am thrilled that we had a smooth conversation with Chairman Clarin. I felt how welcoming GAB is, which signifies a good sign for all professional athletes," he stated.
"We were also assured by the chairman himself that he would listen to our concerns and safeguard our welfare. In fact, they even said that GAB’s function doesn't stop at handing out licenses."
Moreover, the beloved Baguio City native divulged that the local regulatory body of professional sports has already laid out several plans to nurture the growth of MMA in the Philippines.
One of them is a coordinated effort by GAB and the sport's stakeholders to establish an official ranking system for fighters.
“I appreciate Chairman Clarin because you really feel his effort to know more about the sport. I believe he is taking a proactive approach since he's looking into the needs of MMA at all levels. This is encouraging for the MMA community in the country,” Folayang said.
Folayang believes that Clarin’s vision for MMA in the Philippines would benefit all sectors of the local industry, not just himself and his fellow homegrown talents strutting their wares under the ONE Championship banner.
“The fact that there are people like Chairman Clarin, who have opened doors and do not have second thoughts to listen to us, is heartwarming. He wants to remind us of our rights as professional athletes,” he remarked.
“This development gives me a good reason to move forward, given that I am in a new phase of my career. Coming straight from him that he has my back, that's enough for me to keep working even better.”
In early March, Folayang announced his departure from Team Lakay, ending his nearly two-decade relationship with the stable that he helped build from the ground up.
At the time of his exit, many wondered where he could be headed as “Landslide” received numerous invitations from notable names such as former rival Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen and women’s MMA pioneer Cris “Cyborg” Justino.
Folayang revealed that he would be exploring training overseas alongside former ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio.
“That’s the target–to fly to the States, visit several gyms over there, and maximize all the opportunities we’ll get to elevate our skills,” Folayang mentioned.