MANILA – Ilonggo mixed martial arts fighter Robin Catalan hopes to continue his winning streak when he faces Japanese Hayato Suzuki in ONE: Kingdom of Heroes event tonight at the Impact Arena in Thailand.
Despite being a last-minute replacement for his injured brother Rene, Robin said he is prepared to battle the submission specialist Suzuki and wants to use the golden opportunity to follow in his older brother’s footsteps.
“I see my brother succeed and it excites me and at the same time it motivates me,” Robin said. “By taking his place against a competitor like Suzuki, it opens up an opportunity for me to also add a big name to my winning streak.”
He added: “I didn’t have any hesitations, because I’m always prepared to compete. Even if I’m just my brother’s replacement, I have never stopped training. After my last win against Adrian Mattheis, I kept working to improve even more.”
Rene, who had to pullout from the event due to an ankle injury, believes that his younger brother is the perfect person to take his place against a top-level competitor like Suzuki.
“I’m confident that he will give Hayato Suzuki a good challenge, and of course give the fans in Thailand an exciting performance,” said Rene, who is regarded as one of the top contenders in the talent-rich strawweight division.
The Iloilo City native Robin is currently on a hot streak after winning last two matches, including a submission victory over Indonesian foe Adrian Mattheis on July 7 in Guangzhou, China.
Aside from Robin, another Filipino is fighting in the undercard in Bicol native Ramon Gonzales, who makes his return to the ONE Championship stage against Indonesia’s Dodi Mardian./PN
