Eduard Folayang says he and Shinya Aoki forever linked despite rivalry: “The friendship we have developed”

Former ONE lightweight MMA world champions Eduard Folayang and Shinya Aoki are about to step into the Circle for the fourth time at ONE 172 - and this time, they're going in as rivals-turned-friends.

After years of trying to knock each other out, the two warriors have built a bond that goes beyond fighting.

"We have already developed a friendship," he said. "That's what I always tell my teammates - we are professionals. We need to abide by the conduct of our profession. We really need to be rivals in the ring or in the Circle, yet that wouldn't end the friendship we have developed through the years are warriors inside the cage."

Watch the full interview below:

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"Rivalries can turn into friendships" - Eduard Folayang on camaraderie with fellow legend Shinya Aoki ahead of ONE 172

It's not often you see two guys who've tried to knock each other out become friends... unless you're in combat sports, because that's exactly what happened with Eduard Folayang and Shinya Aoki. Despite brutal battles in the circle, they've found friendship out of it.

Here's what the Filipino fighter had to say about their unique relationship:

"What I can say is that for this fight, it's going to be rivals who became friends. It's a little bit a reflection of our lives also as athletes. We can't avoid these situations. Because sometimes rivalries turn into bad blood. But for me, by God's grace, my rivalries can turn into friendships as long as we stick and stand by our moral principles that God gave us."

The Folayang-Aoki rivalry has been one of the most heated ones in ONE Championship history, starting in 2016 when 'Landslide' Eduard Folayang turned the lights out on Aoki to claim the ONE lightweight MMA world title.

Aoki came back in 2019 and got Folayang back by choking him out in the first round. Then, he did it again in 2021. Now, they're gearing up for round 4, and while both men are eager to put on a show, the Filipino star is coming in intending to even the score 2-2.

Eduard Folayang and Shinya Aoki features on the stacked fight card that is ONE 172: Takeru vs Rodtang. The star-studded event will take place in Saitama Super Arena in Japan on March 23, and tickets are available here.