Shozo Isojima defeated former champion Eduard Folayang by first-round technical knockout in a lightweight mixed martial arts bout Friday at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok. The match served as the co-main event of The Inner Circle 21.
Isojima, 28, stopped the 42-year-old Folayang at the 4:29 mark of the opening round. Folayang dropped Isojima early with a left-right hook combination, but the Japanese fighter recovered and answered with a left hook that sent Folayang to the canvas.
After a brief ground-and-pound sequence and an armbar attempt by Isojima, Folayang scrambled back to his feet.
The fighters continued to trade heavy strikes until another left hook from Isojima visibly stunned Folayang. As the Filipino veteran stumbled, Isojima landed a final punch that prompted the referee to halt the contest.
With the victory, Isojima improved his professional record to 7-2. Folayang, a three-time ONE Lightweight MMA World Champion, has now lost four of his last five bouts.
Prior to this bout, questions surrounding his fighting future have naturally shadowed Folayang for several years.
Entering the twilight of a storied career that essentially built the foundation of Philippine MMA, the striking veteran holds a 1-4 record across his last five contests.
At 42 years old, no one mistakes him for a man in his physical prime. While his recent struggles have inevitably sparked retirement conversations, the wushu specialist treats this upcoming contest as the ultimate measure of the competitive fire that still burns within him.
“I see all this as a big challenge. Of course, some people are pointing out my age. But for me, I look at this fight as a good test to decide which direction I’m going to go. If I’m leaving fighting, or if I can still pull something out of the potential that remains in me,” Folayang earlier said. NLMonitor
