HONORIO Banario, one of the Philippines’ top Mixed Martial Arts fighters, will be eyeing a revenge versus ONE FC Featherweight World Champion Koji Oishi when they clash in a rematch on Dec. 6 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Called as “The Rock”, Banario, the first Filipino to ever bring back an MMA world title to the Philippines, belongs to the legendary Team Lakay alongside fellow local champions Eduard Folayang and Kevin Belingon.
Banario, whose background is Wushu, was knocked out by Oishi in their battle during the ONE FC: RISE TO POWER promotion.
This time, however, Banario is expected to bring out all the best in him to once again claim the top featherweight position in Asia and seek redemption in front of his 20,000-strong countrymen.
“We are coming back to Manila to put on one of the greatest fight cards in Asian MMA history,” ONE Fighting Championship CEO Victor Cui said. “We know that the fans have been eagerly hoping for a rematch between ONE FC World Champion Koji Oishi and Honorio Banario and we are delivering what they want.”
Eduard Folayang and Geje Eustaquio will be on the stacked fight card. MMA darling of the Philippines Jujeath Nagaowa will also make her ONE FC debut.
“We are putting together a fight card that will blow away the thousands of passionate Filipino fans in attendance and the millions watching live around the world,” Cui added. /Correspondent Jade S. Violeta