Homegrown Filipino fighter to make Muay Thai debut in ONE

MANILA, Philippines -- A homegrown Filipino Muay Thai fighter will finally make a debut in the ONE Championship Muay Thai division.

Multiple-time Muay Thai gold medalist Islay Bomogao will debut in the fighting promotion next month, as she faces Fuu in a 100-pound catchweight Muay thai bout.

Their match will be at ONE Friday Fights 86 at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

The 23-year-old Igorot is a Southeast Asian Games gold medalist and the first Filipina Muay Thai champion.

“I really dreamed of this opportunity. It wasn’t too long ago when I was just watching Team Lakay back then, and it’s really one of my dreams,” Bomogao said.

“Being able to achieve this today and be in this position, I’m very fulfilled,” she added.

Bomogao rose to the top spot of the International Federation of Muay Thai Associations 45kg rankings after defeating Sarah Kwa.

Filipino-American strikers Jackie Buntan, Eddie Abasolo and Sean Climaco are competing in the ONE FC’s Muay Thai division, but all of them were born and raised in the States.

Now Bomogao is out to prove that she, and her Team Bagsik, can carry the flag for Filipino Muay Thai on the grandest stage for “The Art of Eight Limbs.”

“I feel happy, and of course there’s pressure being the first homegrown fighter to represent the Philippines in Muay Thai for ONE Championship,” she said.

“Making a first impression is very important, especially those who are looking to follow my footsteps into professional Muay Thai,” she added.

“There’s pressure because I want to pave the way for all the Muay Thai fighters in the Philippines.”

Bomogao will join a stacked ONE Friday Fights 86 card that also showcases fellow Filipinos Carlos Alvarez of Team Lakay and Fritz Biagtan of T-Rex MMA.

Alvarez takes on Mirza Aliev in a featherweight MMA bout while Biagtan battles Sayedali Asli in a flyweight MMA contest.