Magkakaroon ng rematch si Eduard "Landslide" Folayang upang depensahan ang kanyang ONE Lightweight World Championship laban kay Shinya "Tobikan Judan" Aoki sa ONE: A NEW ERA sa Tokyo, Japan sa Marso 31.
Unang nagkakilala si Folayang at Aoki sa loob ng cage sa ONE: DEFENDING HONOR noong Nobyembre 2016 kung saan nanalo si Folayang.
Kilala bilang heavy underdog sa unang laban, maraming nalagpasan na pagsubook si Folayang kung saan nakagawa siya ng game plan na tumalo kay Aoki sa third round sa isang technical knockout at naiuwi niya ang ONE Lightweight World Title.
"I knew that I will someday cross paths again with Shinya Aoki ever since our first encounter in 2016. It is an honor to share the cage with him for the second time," sabi niya.
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"Aoki has been on a hot streak ever since losing the ONE Lightweight World Title. I can tell that he is hungry to get the belt back, seeing his past performances against world-class competition."
Naging a two-time lightweight kingpin noong nakaraang Nobyembre si Folayang nang matalo niya si Amir Khan ng Singapore sa isang unanimous decision para sa co-main event ng ONE: CONQUEST OF CHAMPIONS.
The 35-year-old Baguio City native is now putting an end to his honeymoon period with his world title-clinching performance as he looks to start the hard grind as soon as the Yuletide season is over.
Ang 35 anyos na tiga Baguio City ay tatapusin na ang kanyang bakasyon sa kanyang world title-clinching performance.
“I am already doing light training for my upcoming fight. After Christmas and New Year, the real work begins. I am happy that I won last month, but it’s time to move on and take on the next challenge,” pahayag niya.
Nanlo si Aoki ng talong sunod sunod na laban ngayong 2018, kasama ang pagpapasuko niya sa Malaysian-Kiwi dynamo na si Ev “E.T.” Ting sa loob ng 57 segundo, na natalo din umano ni Folyang sa isang unanimous decision noong Abril 2017.
"Facing someone like Aoki is never easy, but I think I have a good understanding of his style and what he brings to the table," the Filipino superstar stressed. "I will expect a different Aoki in Japan, and he can expect the same from me."
