Folayang inspires McLaren as Fil-Aussie challenges Fernandes

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino-Australian bantamweight Reece McLaren is drawing inspiration from Eduard Folayang as he embarks on the biggest fight of his mixed martial arts career so far.

McLaren burst into the ONE Championship scene in 2015, and has since registered two highly impressive victories over top caliber opponents, earning him a shot against bantamweight world champion Bibiano "The Flash" Fernandes.

McLaren (9-3) is set to challenge Fernandes (19-3) in the co-main event of ONE: Age of Domination on December 2 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

He will be the underdog against Fernandes, but McLaren is drawing inspiration from the shock victory of Folayang over Japanese MMA legend Shinya Aoki two weeks ago, which gave "Landslide" the ONE Lightweight World Championship.

"I saw Eduard's fight, and I drew a lot of inspiration from it. Another fellow Filipino winning a world title shows that it can be done," said McLaren.

"Watching the fight was super exciting," he added. "I was on the edge of my seat."

"It was such a massive opportunity for him, and to see him walk away with the victory was just so inspirational."

Fernandes will bring an 11-fight winning streak into the fight, and the Brazilian star is making the fifth defense of his ONE Championship belt. McLaren, however, is unfazed by his underdog status.

"Being labeled as the favorite or the underdog doesn't really matter to me," he said. "I'm going to put a hundred percent into the work, and I hope it shows."

McLaren began his ONE Championship career with an upset victory Filipino warrior and fan-favorite Mark Striegl, and followed up that win over top Tajikistan prospect Muin Gafurov.

"I feel no difference between being the favorite or the underdog," he said. "Everyone loves the underdog story and they love it when he wins, so give me that label and I'll run with it."

"An upset to me is the man who is not meant to win, wins."

McLaren is confident that he can pull off a third consecutive upset win.

"I have Australia and the Philippines supporting me," he said. "Bibiano, it is such an honor to be facing you. I respect you a lot, but this is going to be a changing of the guard."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Striegl looks to finish Australian foe in first round

MANILA, Philippines - His opponent may have changed, but for Filipino-American MMA fighter Mark Striegl, his mindset remains the same.

Striegl was initially supposed to face off against Australia's Jordan Lucas in the co-main event of ONE Championship: Spirit of Champions on December 11 at the Mall of Asia Arena, but Lucas was forced to withdraw from the bout due to an eye injury sustained in training.

Another Australian, Reece McLaren, stepped in to take his place, much to the relief of Striegl.

"It was a little less than two weeks before the fight," Striegl said, when asked when he found out that he had a new opponent. "So it was certainly nerve-wracking."

He holds no ill will towards Lucas – "That happens in this sport," he said of the injury – but is grateful that ONE Championship was able to find a replacement in time.

"I guess I was destined to fight an Australian," he joked Tuesday at the KMA Fitness Gym in Makati. "I'm just thankful that I can still fight in Manila, in the co-main event."

McLaren, like Lucas, is a champion in a local Australian organization, and Striegl says they are "equally dangerous." Nevertheless, his outlook remains unchanged.

"I always look to finish my opponent in the first round," he said. "You'll never see me in a boring fight. So I'm looking to take him out in the first round."

"It's a different opponent, so there are definitely some things you have to change up," he also said. "But a fight is a fight, and that's always my outlook on it. You go into a fight, you have to adapt inside the cage."

"You can only drill and do so many things. At the end of the day, it's just reaction, action, and reaction. I'll be ready."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com