Eduard Folayang VS Amir Khan: 4 Keys To Victory

The ONE: CONQUEST OF CHAMPIONS co-main event is one of the most intriguing battles in recent history, as exciting lightweight contenders Eduard “Landslide” Folayang and Amir Khan square off for the vacant ONE Lightweight World Title.

Folayang is the former World Champion with high hopes of regaining pole position, and Khan is the young lion taking his first shot at the gold on Friday, 23 November in Manila, Philippines.

However, there are also similarities. Both entered the world of mixed martial arts as stand-up specialists, but they have rounded out their skill sets to excel in almost every area of the game. 

The stakes are high, and there is very little to separate them, but only one man will be able to wrap the belt around their waist at the Mall Of Asia Arena.

Here is how each man can get the job done.

Khan’s Powerful Strikes

As well as boasting the most victories in ONE Championship history (11), Khan also holds the record for the most knockouts. He has dispatched eight opponents with his powerful striking. Anybody that stands across the cage from him must be wary of that threat.

Whether he is on his feet or on the ground, the force the Singaporean can generate is significant. The Evolve representative is known for his Muay Thai, and he improves it every day by training with some of the sport’s most decorated world champions.

One of the most eye-catching finishes was his KO over Waqar Umar back in 2014, when a series of clinched elbows sent his man crashing to the canvas, but he has also shown that same power with punches and kicks.

Jaroslav Jartim found this out to his peril when Khan ended his night in the first round of their 2017 encounter with beautiful combination striking.

It may only take one clean blow for Khan to seal the deal.

Folayang’s Long-Range Missiles

As a decorated wushu practitioner, Folayang is well-versed in the stand-up game. Although the sport includes sweeps and takedowns, it is best known for its flashy striking techniques.

This is something “Landslide” – and his whole stable at Team Lakay – is renowned for. They work long-range attacks to close the distance while generating power.

Folayang has a devastating spinning back kick which generates massive amounts of force, alongside his other spinning attacks such as the back fist.

Side kicks and low kicks are also high-percentage shots for the Baguio City man, accumulating damage over time to help him to overwhelm his opponents as a contest plays out.

If this match heads towards the championship rounds, his success in this regard could make the difference

Khan’s Underrated Ground Attack

Khan’s bouts have shown many sides to his developing ground game.

Though the Singaporean likes to strike, he is now a well-rounded martial artist and has a few tricks up his sleeve to make the difference on the mat.

In his match with Sung Jong Lee, he stayed patient when his opponent searched for submissions before he found the perfect position to attack and finish the match with ground and pound.

Against Folayang’s teammate, Honorio “The Rock” Banario, it was Khan who instigated the grappling exchanges. He countered the Team Lakay product’s kicking to initiate a takedown, and spent the rest of the contest maneuvering into a position to finish the Filipino with a rear-naked choke.

If he can put “Landslide” on the mat, he may find a path to victory that has not been considered by many fans.

Folayang’s Airtight Takedown Defense

If Khan wants to have any success on the ground, he will have to get around Folayang’s supreme grappling defense.

The 34-year-old has shown he can stop takedowns from the most dynamic wrestlers, and even if he is brought to the mat, he can stay safe and get back to his feet to continue his striking attack.

His last match against Aziz Pahrudinov exhibited everything he does so well. “Landslide” sprawled hard to stay on his feet, and countered every time his rival bailed on his grappling offense. As the match-up wore on, his leg kicks made sure the Russian’s shots lost their pop.

When he was finally horizontal, Folayang kept a closed guard to stay clear of danger, before exploding out of the position.

If he can maintain that impenetrable defense, Khan will have to rely on his strikes.