Honorio Banario Admits He Faces A 'Big Challenge' In GP Quarter-Final

ONEchampionship.com

Honorio “The Rock” Banario wanted a tough test in his first ONE Championship bout of 2019, and that is exactly what he has been given.

The Filipino hero will kick off the ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix tournament at ONE: HERO’S ASCENTon 25 January in Manila when he faces off against Lowen Tynanes in the first quarter-final match-up of the competition.

For Banario, it is the perfect opportunity to score a big win and establish some early-season momentum as he bids to become a World Champion in a second weight class in The Home Of Martial Arts.

The former ONE Featherweight World Champion moved up to lightweight to compete at his natural weight class in 2016, and he has been in fantastic form since he made the switch. “The Rock” is 6-1 in his new home, despite having faced some stiff competition.

Against America’s Tynanes, he believes he has the perfect opportunity to showcase his ever-improving skill set to the world on 25 January.

“This will be a good bout because this will test if I have really improved my wrestling,” he explains.

“Lowen Tynanes is something else, he has good wrestling and is a high-level athlete. He’s a very well-rounded martial artist, who is yet to be defeated.”

Hawaii’s Tynanes heads into the contest with a 9-0 record that includes four submission finishes and two knockouts.

His combination of aggressive wrestling and boxing has seen him score some notable wins already in his career, including a victory over Banario’s teammate and current ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang.

Banario says he knows the scale of the challenge awaiting him, but he and his colleagues at Team Lakayin Baguio City are relishing the challenge of preparing for the undefeated American.

“It’s a big challenge for me to face him,” he admits.

“My team was surprised when we found out that he will be my first opponent for the ONE Lightweight Grand Prix, but we have a lot of time for training, so we can come up with a game plan to beat him.

“I will be prepared for him.”

Team Lakay had a year to remember in 2018, as their athletes captured four ONE Championship World Titles in an unforgettable 12 months for the Baguio City gym.

Folayang, Joshua Pacio, Kevin Belingon, and Geje Eustaquio all won ONE World Titles in a stellar year for the collective, and Banario hopes to continue that form with victory over Tynanes.

After battling to victory against Indian star Rahul “The Kerala Krusher” Raju in his most recent outing last November, Banario is ready to score a statement victory, hand Tynanes his first career defeat and move on in the ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix tournament.

“I have huge respect for him as a mixed martial artist,” he says.

“I think Tynanes will attempt to take me down, so I have to defend his takedowns and do my best to keep it standing.

“I am hoping for a favorable outcome in this bout.”