ONE X: Folayang unconcerned by ‘underdog’ status against John Wayne Parr

Bengaluru, March 16: Australian legend John Wayne "The Gunslinger" Parr has plenty of reasons to stay motivated for his clash at ONE X on Saturday, March 26, inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium. But one, in particular, stands out the most.

The 45-year-old Muay Thai world champion wants to achieve his 100th career win before he retires from the combat sport. So, a victory in his final match will be a proper ending to his storied journey.

But while Parr's reasons are clear, fight fans wonder what his opponent Eduard Folayang's intentions are for taking the bout. After all, the odds are not pointing in "Landslide's" favor because their contest during ONE Championship's tenth-anniversary show will fall under Muay Thai rules.

It will be the former ONE Lightweight World Champion's first time competing in ONE Super Series. However, the Filipino mixed martial arts icon sees this fight as a way to find new challenges and make the most of his chances.

"There are a lot of people who want to fight John Wayne Parr in his retirement bout. I saw this as a big opportunity to fight him in his domain, and I like challenges. I'm an athlete who doesn't back down or look for reasons to back down," the Team Lakay mainstay said.

"We look for challenges. It's a way for us to grow and evolve into someone better. This fight could further unlock my potential. Who knows? Maybe I have a style that he hasn't seen in his time in the sport."

Most fans favor Parr to win because Folayang hasn't fought in Muay Thai before. His wushu sanda base may come in handy, but "the art of eight limbs" is an entirely different discipline. Folayang does, however, have a kickboxing background that could help him come fight night.

That lack of experience with Muay Thai leads people to count out the 38-year-old competitor against Parr. However, "Landslide" acknowledges that he will be the underdog, mainly because he has been in that situation before.

"That's just the way it goes, I guess. I've been competing for a long time, and I think this is a good thing for me," the Filipino with a 22-11 career MMA record stated.

"They expect me to come in as an underdog, and that's okay. It gives me a chance to focus on myself and the problems that I will be giving him inside the ring."

Download the ONE Super App and visit wtch.ONEFC.com to catch ONE X, happening on Saturday, March 26, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Source: Media Release