ONE X: John Wayne Parr wins USD 50,000 Performance Bonus based on fans vote

Bengaluru, March 31: Australian combat sports legend John Wayne "The Gunslinger" Parr had an opportunity to score his 100th career victory at ONE X this past 26 March at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

However, former ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard "Landslide" Folayang had other plans. The Boonchu Gym competitor tried to fight back in the third round of their Muay Thai rules match, but it wasn't enough to change the judges' verdict.

Folayang's wushu background helped him score a unanimous decision victory in his first-ever ONE Super Series bout.

Even in defeat, the Queensland native thanked the people who have supported him in his 35-year journey as a competitive martial artist and showed respect to the fellow legend who defeated him in his retirement fight.

But now that Parr will focus on training the next generation of Muay Thai specialists, ONE Championship fans gave him a parting gift of US$50,000.

For ONE X, The Home of Martial Arts allowed its supporters to choose a competitor worthy of the incentive. After getting 42 percent of the vote, Parr became the eighth recipient of the monetary bonus during ONE's 10th-anniversary show.

Parr has had a decorated career ever since he started to fight professionally at 16 years old. He became a fan favorite in Thailand with his gesture of drawing an imaginary gun from a holster to end the wai khru.

He fought in Lumpinee Stadium at a time when not a lot of foreigners had the privilege to compete in the mecca of Muay Thai.

Parr's accomplishments include the 2004 S1 World Championship, the WKBA Welterweight World Championship, the WBC Muay Thai World Middleweight Championship, and the WMC World Middleweight Championship.

He also possessed the WKA World Middleweight Championship and the WKBF K-1 Middleweight World Championship.

His popularity also rose when he reached the finals of "The Contender Asia" in 2008. Parr lost to Yodsaenklai Fairtex in the final of the reality-based competition but bounced back with a win in the last bout of their trilogy.

Aside from Folayang, Parr also competed inside the Circle against former Glory Kickboxing World Champion Nieky "The Natural" Holzken.

ONE Championship returns to live action with ONE: Reloaded on April 22. Regian Eersel will defend the ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Championship against Germany's Arian Sadikovic.

Jackie Buntan and Smilla "The Hurricane" Sundell will also compete for the inaugural ONE Women's Strawweight Muay Thai World Championship.

Source: Media Release