Manny Pacquiao coach Marvin Somodio recalls Eduard Folayang’s first sport, it wasn’t fighting
Marvin Samodio, coach to former eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao, recently sat down with The MMA Superfan and spoke about Filipino MMA legend Eduard Folayang.
Samodio and Folayang were high school classmates in Baguio City, Philippines. The world-renowned boxing trainer recalls himself and 'The Landslide' excelling in athletics in their school.
Samodio said:
"We were both athletes: I was a boxer, he [Folayang] played sepak takraw which is why he kicks so hard. I think we were in our third year in high school in around 1998-99 because we graduated as part of batch 2000."
Watch the full interview here:
Though their paths have forked out since high school, Marvin Samodio and Eduard Folayang stayed within the world of combat sports and found tremendous success in their own ways.
Samodio became one of the most sought-after boxing coaches in the world, training the great Manny Pacquiao alongside Buboy Fernandez and the legendary Freddie Roach. He also trained and coached other world champions like Miguel Cotto and Ruslan Provodnikov.
As for Eduard Folayang, he became the first true Filipino MMA icon as he blasted through the international scene more than a decade ago.
He participated in the main event of the first-ever ONE Championship show and later became a ONE lightweight world champion. His achievements on the world stage has heralded multiple waves of Filipino fighters to pursue the sport.
'The Landslide', much like the great 'Pacman', inspired so many of his countrymen to strive for greatness despite adversity.
As of this writing, the 39-year old icon has seen better days in his career, suffering 5 straight losses in MMA. He has, however, ventured into a new phase in his martial arts journey.
In March of this year, Eduard Folayang made the bold move to leave his long-time gym, Team Lakay, to start his own facility, Lions Nation MMA. The split was amicable and both parties wished each other the best.
Now taking on a larger leadership role, the former ONE lightweight world champion is looking to shake up the sport once again with the help of his new teammates and students.