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Antonio Caruso punches Eduard Folayang again during their lightweight match in ONE: Inside the Matrix. A CHAMPIONSHIP
MANILA, Philippines – Antonio Caruso’s first ONE Championship win so far means everything to the promising Australian.
After losing to Pieter Buist on his debut, Caruso scored a unanimous decision victory over two-time lightweight champion Eduard Folayang on Friday at ONE: Inside the Matrix.
“It means the world to me. I come from the small town of Adelaide and am now fighting on the largest martial arts stage in the world and possibly against the best in the division,” Caruso said in his virtual post-fight press conference. from the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Caruso (8-1) used his length against the shorter Folayang for much of the fight and even sent the former champion to the mat with a strong right uppercut.
With momentum on his side and the feeling of winning the first two rounds, Caruso had only to hold off Folayang in the third, but the latter found his second gear and addressed the newcomer with enthusiasm.
Caruso managed to stop Folayang’s aggression with a successful takedown and holding the mounting position in the final 10 seconds to avoid a guillotine attempt.
He added that what came as no surprise to him about how Folayang fought and was all due to his extensive study of Team Lakay’s senior team.
However, there were times when Caruso felt that Folayang might have had a chance to win the fight.
“He’s a veteran, he wouldn’t lie, I felt like I was dominating him, but I saw that style in his eyes that says ‘I’m going to catch this man,'” Caruso said as Folayang increased his aggression in the third.
“He almost caught me with a guillotine, I didn’t know how he set it up but the guy has a strong grip.”
The victory not only balanced out Caruso’s ONE record, but it also gave him goose bumps.
“It’s like Rocky, I felt like Rocky Balboa,” said Caruso, who lost his promotional debut against Pieter Buist. “It’s a dream and I made it come true.”
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