Isang nakakabilib na laban ang ipinamalas ni Rene “The Challenger” Catalan nang talunin niya ang dating ONE Strawweight World Champion na si Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito pero hindi ito naging madali para sa kanya.
Inihayag ni Catalan na muntik na siyang sumuko sa unang round pero kinaya niya hanggang sa huli at nanalo sa ONE: REIGN OF VALOR noong Biyernes, Marso 8 sa Thuwunna Indoor Stadium, Yangon, Myanmar.
"In his first takedown attempt, I nearly tapped because I felt my back cramp up. I was 99 percent sure that I was going to tap. The pain was so intense and I can’t breathe properly," sabi niya
"But then he tried to adjust and he rolled. That’s where I got my wind. I really maintained my position so I can recover, and I never let up."
'Pikon daw?' UAAP fan na nag-dirty finger, agaw-eksena sa San Juan Arena!
"I know that his grappling is on a high level, but with my wrestling training with coach Roque [Verangel Mana-ay Jr.], I was able to pin him down," sabi niCatalan
"Actually the gameplan was to try and strike with him and knock him out with a straight punch in the first round, maybe in the second if I can’t get it in the first.”
"There was an opening for a knee that’s why I went for it, then I never stopped because I didn’t want to go to a second round."
