Long before Carlo Bumina-ang was knocking out opponents on the global stage, he could be found on the sun-baked basketball courts of Baguio City, Philippines, playing until his legs gave out.
The Team Lakay fighter returns to action at ONE Fight Night 39: Rambolek vs. Dayakaev on Friday, Jan. 23, scheduled to face undefeated Brazilian Marcos Aurelio in a bantamweight mixed martial arts showdown.
The event airs live in U.S. primetime from the legendary Lumpinee Stadium.
While Bumina-ang is now known as a hardened fighter, his competitive fire was first ignited as a baller in the basketball-crazed Philippines. During his adolescence, the sport was an obsession. Whether wearing school shoes or flip-flops, Bumina-ang spent hours at the nearest court.
On those cement courts, Bumina-ang discovered the thrill of competition. With no money to wager, he and his friends turned pickup games into intense 5-on-5 battles.
“When I was in high school, that’s all I played with my classmates and friends,” the 31-year-old told onefc.com. “After class, I remember we’d head straight to any open court, and we’d play till we dropped.”
Bumina-ang recalled playing for “ice tubig” — ice-cold water wrapped in plastic.
“Those days were fun; it was a great experience,” he said. “At one point, it was the only thing I was really passionate about,” added Bumina-ang.
Like many young athletes of his generation, Bumina-ang was shaped by NBA superstars of the early 2000s. He was captivated by Hall of Famer Allen Iverson, drawn to “The Answer’s” swagger and underdog spirit. He also followed the Cleveland Cavaliers, led by a young LeBron James.
“I wanted to imitate Iverson,” Bumina-ang said. “I loved how he played, his swagger, and just how he carried himself.”
Standing 5-foot-3, Bumina-ang was often the smallest player on the court, a reality that persists in ONE’s stacked bantamweight division. However, he made up for his height with a physical style of play.
“I played the forward position,” he said. “I wasn’t the tallest, but I was athletic. I loved banging bodies and just driving into the lane.”
Now a full-time fighter and a first-time father to a baby girl, Bumina-ang said his basketball days are a distant memory, though the lessons remain. He noted that the footwork, balance, and explosiveness required on the court translate directly to the cage.
“Basketball training actually has some similarities with MMA training,” Bumina-ang said. “We did a lot of sprinting, which I still do a lot now. When I played, I loved receiving passes on a fast break, so running was quite easy for me.”
Beyond the physical benefits, the sport taught him about teamwork. While MMA is an individual sport once the cage door closes, Bumina-ang views his preparation at Team Lakay through the lens of a team captain.
“Sportsmanship is the biggest lesson I got from basketball,” he said. “In Team Lakay, we train as a team, and we win and lose as a group, just like in basketball… Teamwork is something I got from basketball that I still apply in MMA.” NLMonitor