KEY POINTS

  • Robin Catalan has new motivations going into his fight against Elipitua Siregar
  • He acknowledges Siregar's prowess as a wrestler and bares how he plans to counter it
  • The fight will be the opening fight of the lead card of ONE: Heavy Hitters on Friday

Filipino strawweight Robin Catalan is fighting for much more than himself when he faces Elipitua Siregar in the opening match of the lead card at ONE: Heavy Hitters this Friday, January 14.

Speaking to the media in a virtual press conference, Catalan was adamant that his upcoming match matters more to him and his team than anything else right now.

“This fight is important for me because my older brother [Rene Catalan] lost in his last fight and I want to get this win for him and for my team. Because of the pandemic, we haven’t really been able to train that well, but I really hope I can get this win so we can bounce back from the losses,” Catalan said.

“I’ll really do my best for all of them. I’m excited for this fight.”

Catalan has been with the promotion since March 2016 and has amassed a record of five wins and five losses, his most recent fight being a submission loss against Ryuto Sawada at ONE: Unbreakable 3 in January 2021.

The 31-year-old from Iloilo City, Iloilo, Philippines broke down his observations of Siregar and was able to determine that the Indonesian’s wrestling game will give him a tough time in setting up his strikes.

However, Catalan assured it was something that he and his coaches have emphasized during training camp.

In his five losses, three of them came via submission to which Catalan admitted was a major hole in their training and that they have been addressing it in preparation for Siregar's wrestling prowess.

To his credit, “Ilonggo” has been able to secure a submission victory of his own against Adrian Mattheis at ONE: Battle For The Heavens in 2018.

Catalan’s willingness to stand in the pocket and trade with his opponents has turned in mixed results, but it has also made him one of the most exciting fighters to watch within the Singapore-based promotion.

Being an underdog is nothing new to Catalan to the point that he has already embraced it as a motivating force in all of his future fights.

“I want to show just how much our camp (Catalan Fighting System) can continue to bounce back from losses. I need to win in order to prove I belong in the winners’ circle with ONE Championship,” he stressed.

ONE: Heavy Hitters will be streaming live on the ONE Super App and official ONE Championship YouTube channel at 8:30 PM SGT (7:30 AM ET in the United States).

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