Eric Kelly Eager to Reclaim Lost Glory as Asia’s Best Featherweight

Eric “The Natural” Kelly may have fallen in recent times, but the Filipino martial arts veteran still feels that he has something more to prove as he attempts to sparkplug his professional career under the ONE Championship banner.

Reeling from a three-bout losing skid, Kelly is determined to reinsert his name into winner’s column as he is slated to take on returning Brazilian standout Rafael “Indio” Nunes.

Both men are set to face each other on the undercard of ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES, which takes place at the 20,000-capacity SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines on 26 January.

The 35-year-old Baguio City native was once considered as one of the best and brightest featherweight contenders in the Asian region when he started his martial arts run in 2009, but his billing lost its luster due to a string of setbacks.

When Kelly entered enemy territory to face Malaysian-Kiwi dynamo Ev “E.T.” Ting in January 2016, he suffered a third-round submission defeat at the hands of the future ONE Lightweight World Championship title contender.

Kelly tried to bounce back from his loss to Ting by squaring off with former ONE Featherweight World Champion Narantungalag Jadambaa seven months later, but he yielded to the Mongolian hard-hitter by way of knockout in 44 seconds.

A victory inside the ONE Championship cage remained elusive to Kelly as he bowed down to ex-ONE Lightweight World Champion Kotetsu “No Face” Boku in a featherweight encounter via third-round technical knockout in August of last year.

Kelly looked good in the early rounds as he rocked Boku and nearly stopped the bout with a flurry of punches in the opening stanza.

Picking up the momentum from the first frame of action, Kelly then went on to knock Boku down in the second round again.

However, the Japanese warrior showed resilience to recover both times and rally to a thrilling comeback in the final canto.

“I did not have a good preparation for the bout, and I am taking it as a lesson,” Kelly admitted. “I lacked discipline. I have accepted the fact that I am in a bad spot, but I am taking all those experiences as lessons and inspecting them for my future matches.”

Despite the series of losses, his confidence remains unfazed as he brings a indomitable and positive attitude into his upcoming bout against Nunes at ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES.

“It is very much important to me to win in this coming bout against Rafael Nunes. I want to show to those who believe in me that I can make it not just for myself, but for all,” he said. “I want this victory so bad.”

Nunes boasts an impressive professional record of 10-1, with five victories coming by way of submission and another four by knockout.

The last time that Nunes competed was back in June 2014 when he made his promotional debut opposite Japan’s Koji “The Commander” Ando at ONE: WAR OF DRAGONS.

On that night, Ando cleverly submitted the spirited Nunes via rear-naked choke in the opening round.

Nunes has not been able to avenge his lone blemish in his career as illness and injury have derailed his comeback.

More than three years after his last match, Nunes’ hunger for his first win on the global stage might only be rivaled by Kelly’s desire to get back on the winning track.

According to Kelly, it is not easy to study an opponent who lives on the other side of the world and coming off such a long layoff.

“He has been away for a while, so I am not sure if he got stronger or improved,” he stated. “All I know is that I am training to achieve a win.”

Although a tough task is in front of him, Kelly is more fired up than ever to arrest his losing spell and deliver a winning performance at ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES.

“My opponent is a human like me, and everyone is beatable. I always put that in my mind. Right now, I have to redeem myself in front of my countrymen. I might be 35 years old, but I am not giving up. I am here to stay,” he declared.

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Edward Kelly Elated to Compete Alongside Older Brother Eric at One FC

Eric and Edward Kelly lived under the same roof for years in their hometown of Baguio City when they were young and shared the same burning passion in martial arts.

Growing up in the small town community of San Tomas Central, located within the city limits of Baguio, Eric and Edward did not always get along with one another as the two fought all the time, sometimes even resulting in injury.

“We were not that close before. We always fought. In short, Eric and I were headaches to our parents,” Edward recalled in jest. “But of course, things change when you grow up and mature. We now appreciate each other’s company.”

Fortunately, when the brothers entered high school, Eric discovered martial arts, and everything would change for both of them.

Edward paid attention to the growing accolades of his older brother and was heavily motivated by it.

“I noticed after he started martial arts that it taught him the discipline not to fight me as a brother. Instead, he started giving me advice on what he had learned,” he bared. “I also joined martial arts because it teaches you discipline, and a lot of other positives, too.”

Years later, both men have made remarkable runs as outstanding martial artists in their respective professional careers.

Eric is now widely regarded as one of the best homegrown martial arts athletes to come out of the Philippines.

A Wushu practitioner who combines solid striking techniques with high-level grappling skills, Eric owns nine scintillating submissions and one knockout out of 12 total career victories.

Eric’s most impressive showing to date came in a submission win over Rob Lisita in July 2014, a performance that earned him the US$50,000 ONE Warrior Bonus.

Meanwhile, Edward is considered as one of the best and brightest featherweight prospects to emerge from the well-established martial arts scene in the Philippines.

With a complete striking and grappling skill set, Edward brings Team Lakay’s world-renowned Wushu to center stage as he showcases his impeccable skillset inside the ONE Championship cage.

In addition, the younger Kelly has won three of his last four bouts under the ONE Championship banner, all by spectacular finish.

The Kelly brothers get a rare chance on 26 January as the siblings will compete side-by-side when ONE Championship holds its first of the four scheduled events in the country for 2018.

Asia’s premier martial arts promotion spearheads ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES at the 20,000-capacity SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.

Eric squares off with Brazilian standout Rafael Nunes on the undercard of ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES, while Edward crosses paths with Cambodia’s Meas Meul in a three-round featherweight clash.

It is the first time both of them will be featured at a ONE Championship event together, and Edward plans to make it a night they will never forget.

“I am so excited because finally, it’s going to happen. It marks the first time that I will compete alongside my older brother. Surely, it’s going to be a memorable night for the both of us,” he said.

“We have the same aim of winning. So making it two for two on this card will make this extra special,” Edward added.

As Eric seeks to get back on the winning track at the expense of Nunes, Edward is likewise looking to move forward in his career after getting his three-bout winning streak snapped by American stalwart Emilio Urrutia in August 2017.

In his next cage outing, Edward goes up against Meul, an undefeated promotional newcomer with six wins to his credit, at ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES.

“My coaches have prepared me well for this. I am not going to disappoint my team and my country when I enter that cage on 26th of January,” Edward assured. “I don’t want to let my countrymen down this time. I am here to give them a great bout. And of course, win the bout in impressive fashion for them.”

Edward has no qualms if he has to go full three rounds with Meul, but he admitted that his sights are always set on securing the finish.

“I am looking to dominate him for three rounds. But hopefully, I can get the finish. A finish will be the perfect way to tell the world that I am back,” he ended.

Like the fighters, fans and bettors are anticipating this event as feature a number of good matchups. 

​​Eric Kelly Happy Over Younger Brother Edward’s Winning Roll in ONE Championship

As Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly continues his marvelous rise in ONE Championship’s stacked featherweight division, renowned Filipino martial arts veteran Eric “The Natural” Kelly can’t help but feel impressed with his younger brother’s winning streak in Asia’s largest sports media property.

Edward scored three huge victories inside the ONE Championship cage last year, starting his 2016 campaign by pulling off a come-from-behind submission win over previously-unbeaten Australian stalwart Jordan Lucas in March before achieving a second-round knockout of Dutch-Indonesian journeyman Vincent Latoel five months later.

The 33-year-old Baguio City native punctuated his 2016 calendar on a high note by stopping Indonesian standout Sunoto by way of third-round technical knockout in December.

Eric, who is only two years older than Edward, stressed that he is proud of his brother’s recent accomplishments under the ONE Championship banner, citing the latter’s ability to overcome adversity and his determination to develop as a competitor in the constantly-evolving sport.

Prior to his victory parade in ONE Championship, Edward had a jagged beginning in the promotion, losing to Brazilian contender Herbert “The Blaze” Burns by way of 44-second submission in December 2013 and then suffering a first-round knockout defeat to Malaysian-Kiwi sensation Ev Ting in October 2014.

Although Edward bounced back by submitting compatriot Jimmy Yabo in April 2015, he yielded to hard-hitting Australian stalwart Martin Nguyen via doctor stoppage seven months later.

Edward erased the harsh memories of his painful setbacks by defeating three high-profile opponents in 2016.

“I am so proud of him. It’s impressive because despite the losses, he was able to improve and bounce back with three big wins. I am happy that he is reaping the fruits of his labor,” Eric said of Edward.

However, the two brothers find themselves in a very different scenario as Eric is currently reeling from a three-match losing skid, bowing down to Ting via third-round submission in January 2016 before falling to Mongolian kickboxer Jadambaa Narantungalag via 44-second knockout in July 2016.

Eric’s quest to reinsert his name into the winner’s column was spoiled by Japanese legend Kotetsu “No Face” Boku last August 5 when the former ONE Lightweight World Champion scored a third-round stoppage triumph against the celebrated Filipino combatant.

Even though Eric is on a downward spiral, he is not turning his back on the sport that catapulted him to stardom.

“I really feel disappointed with what happened. I was really prepared for my bout against Kotetsu Boku, but there are things that it’s beyond our control. I am fine and no harm done. But I cannot deny that I am disappointed. I have to accept the outcome. It is a hard lesson for me, but I will be back as an improved and better fighter,” he guaranteed.

Eric, who is widely regarded as one of the most talented products of the established Philippine martial arts scene, sees a bright future ahead of Edward and does not mind losing the spotlight to his younger brother as both of them compete in ONE Championship’s 70.3-kilogram weight class.

“I see a bright future in his professional martial arts career. Edward should keep on striving. It’s his moment,” he shared.

According to Eric, Edward’s latest success in ONE Championship adds fire to his desire to place himself back on the winning track

“His wins in ONE Championship motivate me. It keeps me motivated and aware that I have to seriously focus on my improvement as a competitor inside that cage,” he stated

“Right now, I need some little time for myself and think about what happened, but it won’t be long because I want to get back inside the cage and redeem myself. I won’t throw in the towel that easy. I have to go back to the drawing board and address the problem. There are still a lot left in me,” Eric added.

After eight months of waiting for a call to compete again, Edward returns to action as he is set to duke it out with promotion newcomer Emilio “The Honey Badger” Urrutia of the United States on the undercard of ONE: QUEST FOR GREATNESS in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 18 August.

Eric is confident that Edward will have his hand raised against Urrutia, who won two-straight matches in 2016.

“You can see Edward’s improvement every time he steps inside the cage. He always brings in something new. I am super confident that he will walk out victorious,” he ended.

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The Return of Eric "The Natural" Kelly at ONE: Kings and Conquerors

The sport of mixed martial arts (MMA) is about individuals, but most of its highly-regarded world champions are forged in strong camps that bring in many great fighters.

In a very different atmosphere from boxing, MMA hardly sees any high-profile competitors building training camps around one man or woman as it often centered around a gym where several coaches work in conjunction with each other to train a stable of fighters of varying skills and weight classes.

Ever since he started his professional career in 2009, Filipino submission specialist Eric “The Natural” 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.

“For me, I don’t have a stable gym where I train at full-time. I train more naturally. Whichever gym I find myself in, that’s where I train. Mostly, I just watch YouTube videos and apply it to my training and then I go to some gyms to test it out. I am in the constant search for more knowledge for my career,” Kelly recalled.

Kelly finds himself in familiar situation, wherein he has no specific team to formulate his game plan. He is tasked to take on Japanese veteran Kotetsu “No Face” Boku on the undercard of ONE: KINGS & CONQUERORS in Macao, China on 5 August.

Although he acknowledged that a reliable support team in his bouts is missing, Kelly intends to stick with the training regimen that he is used to.

Kelly has been seen diligently grinding at various local gyms in his hometown of Baguio City, while allotting time to make a trip down to Metro Manila to train in the city’s elite fight camps.

The 35-year-old native of Baguio City, Benguet bared that numerous MMA groups have offered and extended their helping hands as he prepares for his return to the ONE Championship cage, including the Mark Sangiao-mentored Team Lakay.

Team Lakay has become an instantly recognizable name in the Philippine MMA scene because of the big number of successful homegrown talents it has produced since its inception in 2003.

Despite being located at an elevation of 4,300 feet above sea level in the mountains of La Trinidad, Benguet, Team Lakay has been recognized as one of Asia’s elite MMA groups, spawning remarkable Filipino fighters like ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard Folayang and former ONE Featherweight World Champion Honorio Banario, as well as Geje Eustaquio, Kevin Belingon, Rey Docyogen, Gina Iniong, Joshua Pacio, Danny Kingad and Kelly’s younger brother Edward.

Kelly revealed that he personally received an invite from Sangiao, who is the beloved headmaster of Team Lakay since its founding.

“Yes, he personally invited me to join Team Lakay. But we will talk about it. I see it as a great opportunity,” he said.

Kelly and Sangiao are acquainted with each other as both men worked together in the Philippine national Wushu squad from 2001 to 2004.

According to Kelly, the only thing that hinders him from donning the Team Lakay’s bright red trunks is that he does not want to be isolated in a particular team.

“I just don’t want to be stuck in one team. As much as possible, I want to explore all styles and forms of fighting. But I am open to all possibilities. Never say never in this sport. Mark and I will talk about it,” he shared.

Kelly acknowledged that his striking background can greatly improve with Team Lakay to compliment his superb grappling pedigree.

“I am looking to sharpen my skills in the stand-up department. I already have a good ground game, but I have to back it up with an outstanding striking. I know I can achieve that with Team Lakay,” he asserted.

With a pending offer from Team Lakay, Kelly opts to do it in his own way for now as he seeks to break his two-fight losing skid at the expense of Boku at ONE: KINGS & CONQUERORS.

“I have been doing this for the past eight years. I am still confident as to how I conduct my training. It has given me success in the past. I still believe that it will give me the success in my upcoming fight. It all boils down to discipline,” he ended.

Pinoy Eric Kelly Fell Short in Malaysia against Aggressive Ev Ting

In the Malaysia Warrior Bout main event, an exhausted Ev Ting pulled out a gutsy victory over Eric “The Natural” Kelly of the Philippines, winning by submission in round three. Ting dominated the striking exchanges throughout the bout, blasting Kelly with various combinations. Kelly spent most of his time defending against Ting’s aggression, biding his time and pacing himself for a distance finish. In the third, Ting latched on a standing Guillotine that transitioned into a mounted Guillotine, leaving Kelly no choice but to tap out.

“Marat Gafurov I’m coming for you, where is that belt at?” said Ting, looking for a shot at the ONE Featherweight World Championship.

“With the new weight cut policy I wanna fight as much as I can and fight full time to feed my family. I want to fight Marat Gafurov. The fight was harder than I expected. I didn’t know he could take so much hits. I respect Kelly as a fighter and it was a great fight,” Ting added.

Eric “The Natural” Kelly of the Philippines returned to the ONE Cage victoriously

Featherweight standout Eric “The Natural” Kelly of the Philippines returned to the ONE Cage victoriously with a unanimous decision over Hiroshige Tanaka of Japan. Kelly, known for his technical submission game, showcased ferocious striking skills, battering Tanaka from end to end. Tanaka used his world-class wrestling to control Kelly, but the Filipino did more damage which earned the judges’ nod.