Edward Kelly fixes sights on another highlight-reel finish to establish world title contender status
Edward Kelly
13 June 2018, Macau China: After scoring a highlight-reel
finish in his last bout, Filipino homegrown talent Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly
looks for another scintillating performance as he is set to have his second
scheduled match under the ONE Championship banner in 2018.
Kelly will be squaring off with
former ONE Featherweight World Champion Narantungalag “Tungaa” Jadambaa on the
undercard of ONE: PINNACLE OF POWER, which takes place at the Studio City Event
Center in Macau, China on June 23.
The 34-year-old Baguio City native
eyes a follow-up to his 21-second knockout win over Cambodia’s Meas Meul this
past January.
At the opening bell, Kelly
engaged Meul at the center of the cage and connected on a quick three-punch
combination before unleashing the final blow that sent Meul face first into the
canvas.
Kelly now owns both the fastest
knockout and finish in ONE Championship’s featherweight division, with the
scorching stoppage going viral around the world.
“I am a martial artist who always
looks for the finish. As much as possible, I want to give the fans what they
want. They came and bought a ticket for an action-packed bout with an amazing
conclusion,” Kelly said.
“In my upcoming bout, my fans
should expect that I will have the same mentality. I will look for that
finish,” he added.
However, having that distinction
and honor is not something that the humble Kelly would brag about.
“The record does not mean much.
Whether it is 21 seconds or the full three rounds, what matters is that I
prepared myself to be the best,” he stated. “I think I just did my part to show
the world what I am capable of inside the cage. The win was great, but now it
is back to training, and getting better for the next bout.”
Kelly is ascending up ONE
Championship’s featherweight ranks, but in order for him to reach the next
level, he must defeat a tough opponent in Jadambaa at ONE: PINNACLE OF POWER.
“I am at a great spot in my
career, and I am extremely excited to be facing Jadambaa. I cannot wait to test
my skills against a former world champion and a respected veteran in mixed
martial arts,” he expressed.
Kelly stressed that he is nothing
but respect to Jadambaa, who was last seen in action when he yielded to fellow
former featherweight kingpin Marat Gafurov in their November 2016 title rematch.
“To be honest, Jadambaa is one of
the very few peers that I look up to in ONE Championship. He is my idol. He is
incredibly tough and durable. But most importantly, he has a big heart. It is
an honor for me to compete against him,” he disclosed.
Despite the vast difference in
terms of competitive experience, Kelly believes that his youth will play a
pivotal factor in his three-round ring encounter with the 42-year-old Mongolian
kickboxer.
“The only advantage I would have
probably is age. I am a little younger than he is, and he has been in more cage
wars, so the mileage is there. But in this particular fight, I do not think it
will matter. I am expecting an honest, explosive contest between two talented
strikers,” he explained.
Aiming to continue his winning ways
on the ONE Championship stage, Kelly believes that having his hand raised
against Jadambaa will push him into the upper echelon of the featherweight
division.
“Being that he is the former
featherweight world champion, this bout is very significant. I know if I can
beat Jadambaa, it will bring me one huge step closer to getting that title
shot,” he ended.
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