Above all the success, there was a beginning.
Team Lakay was made by band of brothers founded by Mark “The Machine” Sangiao, alongside with Eduard Folayang, Kevin Belingon, Honorio Banario…as the core members, collaborating with other enthusiastic brethen.
Side by side and with one beat, they fuelled the team with just pure passion and grit. Helding the core values of Martial Arts – RESPECT, DISCIPLINE, HONOUR, HUMILITY, COURAGE and INTEGRITY in high regard, was their only capital and will always be their chapter and verse. Guided with these principles and remembering where and how they started, more that a decade later, the team created champions and build a world-class organization.
But, how did they start?
Team Lakay had a challenging start. There were no official gears and there was no gym. Most of the fighters trained outdoors and used different resourceful materials as their training gears – one set of pads for training, one pair of gloves and they had to share.
“In the early days, we have nothing. We had rotten gloves, no mats and the only thing we had was a dream, a vision and what we’re doing is right. It’s like a fairy tale.” – Eduard Folayang
As the training for Team Lakay progresses, it was also the time they are starting to win bouts until they became known internationally in the field of MMA.
But, being on top is no joke. Pressure, challenges and test of courage was faced by the whole team.
It was during the 2018 Global Martial Arts Awards that the name “Team Lakay” opened the eyes of many MMA fighters and fans alike. As they climbed the top, three world champions were produced, namely: Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio, strawweight Joshua “The Passion” Pacio, and interim bantamweight champ Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon.
“The Year 2018 has been a good one for us. I cannot really describe how I feel. We’re just happy. We’re going to do our best to live up to such high standard, showing the skills of our athletes and hopefully we can continue to succeed next year.” – Coach Mark Sangiao
Eduard Folayang, the former ONE Lightweight Champion, was motivated and inspired to work harder not only inside the cage but also outside, giving influences to the people around him.
“I’m happy to accept this award. I would like to thank my family and my team for being with me throughout. This award only represents the start and beginning of a never-ending journey of discipline, hard work, perseverance, and pushing for an even higher standard.” – Eduard Folayang
Documentary by ONE CHAMPIONSHIP
Sources:
Team Lakay Miles
www.bworldonline.com, Michael Angelo Murillo
ONE Official Channel
