Matapos ang ilang taon ng trabaho at dedikasyon, ang mga miyembro ng Team Lakay na sina Edward "The Ferocious" Kelly and Honorio "The Rock" Banario ay nakatanggap ng promotion sa kanilang ground game skills noong nakaraang linggo.
Pareho silang nakakuha ng Brazilian jiu-jitsu blue belt promotion mula kay Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt John Baylon.
Nakatira sa Baguio City, Benguet sina Banario at Kelly at bumibiyahe sila ng halos 260 kilometro papuntang Pasay City, Metro Manila para mas mapahusay ang kanilang grappling skill set sa Academia John Baylon.
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"Getting a belt promotion is an achievement. I like to think that this is something I've earned through hard work on this journey of becoming a well-rounded martial artist," pahayag niya.
"I feel like a more well-rounded athlete after my belt got upgraded. This adds more confidence, especially when it comes to my ground game.”
Pakiramdam ni Banario na suwerte siya dahil naturuan siya ni Baylon ng Brazilian jiu-jitsu habang patuloy siyang nagsusumikap na maging isang magaling na atleta sa sport na mixed martial arts.
“For me, this achievement is proof that I am getting better little by little. There is a long learning process in jiu-jitsu,” sabi ng dating ONE Featherweight World Champion.
"Jiu-jitsu taught us to grind harder. It is a lot of hard work. Having John Baylon as our coach is a blessing because we all look up to him. He knows his craft really well, and is very patient and detailed when providing instructions," Kelly explained.
Plano ni Banario at Kelly na ipakita ang kanilang talento sa mga parating nilang laban sa ONE Championship stage.
“We need to keep on winning to stay in the mix. Everyone is already upgrading their tools. When I get inside the cage, I'm not just looking for knockouts,” sabi ni Banario.
“I want to start winning by submission to show the fans that Team Lakay athletes are not just about striking. I want all of my improvements to show, especially my ground game.”
