Islay Erika Bomogao is set to debut for ONE Championship as the first homegrown Filipina in the promotion's Muay Thai division.
The Philippines will finally see its first homegrown athlete compete in ONE Championship’s Muay Thai division.
Islay Erika Bomogao debuts for the promotion when she takes on Fuu in a 100-pound catchweight Muay Thai bout at ONE Friday Fights 86 on November 8 inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
At age 23, Bomogao has already made a name for herself in the amateur Muay Thai circuit, winning multiple SEA Games gold medals and becoming the first Filipina Muay Thai Champion.
Her victory over Sarah Kwa ranked her as the world’s no. 1 in the International Federation of Muay Thai Associations 45-kilogram rankings, making her one of the best Muay Thai strikers to ever come out of the country in recent times.
Now that she’s close to reaching the pinnacle of Muay Thai, Bomogao can’t hide her excitement.
“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.”
[Related: Rise of Islay Bomogao: From curiosity to Muay Thai glory]
Up until now, there has never been a homegrown Filipino competing in the all-striking divisions of ONE Championship.
Among those with Filipino lineage to emerge in Muay Thai are Filipino-American strikers Jackie Buntan, Eddie Abasolo, and Sean Climaco. But all of them were born and raised in the States, where excellent Muay Thai and kickboxing gyms are abundant.
Now Bomogao is out to prove that she, and her squad in 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 joins her fellow Cordilleran in Team Lakay’s Carlos Alvarez and T-Rex MMA’s Fritz Biagtan on the ONE Friday Fights 86 card, which is turning out to be massive for Filipinos.
Alvarez takes on Mirza Aliev in a featherweight MMA bout while Biagtan battles Sayedali Asli in a flyweight MMA contest.