Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
MANILA, Philippines – Renowned homegrown talent Eric Kelly is not stepping away from the combat limelight as he remains driven to continue his prizefighting career even after suffering two straight excruciating defeats in 2016.
Widely regarded as one of the most talented products of the Philippine mixed martial arts (MMA) scene, Kelly had a rough ride this year, losing two of his scheduled matches inside the ONE Championship cage.
Kelly yielded to Malaysian-Kiwi sensation Ev Ting via third-round submission in January before he tasted a 44-second knockout loss at the hands of Mongolian hard-hitter Jadambaa Narantungalag last July.
Many suggest that his losing skid was caused by not having a regular support system to formulate his game plan and the punishment that he went through within 7 years of competing in MMA.
Ever since he started his run as a professional MMA combatant in 2009, Kelly has been described as a lone wolf because he has never had an established MMA team and only hops from one gym to another.
Kelly also had several career-threatening injuries in the past, including severe damage to his right eye from his December 2012 meeting with Brad Terrey and a broken nose from his come-from-behind submission victory over Rob Lisita in July 2014.
Although he received an offer from esteemed MMA trainer Mark Sangiao to join Team Lakay that could prolong his career, Kelly stands firm with his own training approach.
"I just love the way I do in my training because in this manner, I can challenge myself and learn as well as adapt to different styles and skills," he shared.
Kelly explained that in an unpredictable sport like MMA, there are things that are beyond a fighter's control.
"My principle in life is if it's for you, it's for you. Even if you exert effort and it's not for you, you won't get it. You need to accept the outcome and learn. But of course, if you're in a fight, you have to do your best to get the win," he said.
Despite the string of painful setbacks, Kelly refuses to throw in the towel and aims to reestablish his foothold in the tilting landscape of ONE Championship's featherweight division.
"I take these losses as karma for me. I just have to prepare well for my next fights," he asserted. "I still want to continue my career, win or I lose. This is part of my life."
The 34-year-old Baguio City native stressed that his heartbreaking losses to Ting and Jadambaa did not give him an indication to hang up his gloves for good.
"I didn't dwell [on] the losses. I just accepted the outcome of it. For my next fight, I have to train wiser and harder," Kelly said. – Rappler.com
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
