Filipino fighter Robin ”The Ilonggo” Catalan walks into the Circle at ONE: UNBREAKABLE III on Feb. 5, 2021
R
obin “The Ilonggo” Catalan is determined to achieve a hat trick victory over Indonesia when he faces Elipitua “The Magician” Siregar this Friday at ONE: HEAVY HITTERS at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
The 31-year-old Filipino has defeated two Indonesian mixed martial artists on ONE Championship’s global stage and is now chasing his third victory to elevate his name in the strawweight division
A win would also help the entire Catalan Fighting System community get back on the winning track. The team, spearheaded by Catalan’s older brother Rene Catalan, has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rene Catalan is on a three-bout losing streak, and his other teammate, Jomary “The Zamboanginian Fighter” Torres, is facing a tough skid of her own. So, a hat trick win over the Indonesian fighters this week would mean more than just personal glory.
“In that stretch, I haven’t stopped training. I have been training for a long time knowing that I will have to get our gym back on the right track, and now I have that chance. That is why this match is very important to me. Kuya Rene has been losing. Jomary also lost, so it’s up to me now,” he told ONE Championship.
“I’ve also been hearing a lot of things. Because of our recent results, some fans are beginning to look down on us, so it’s up to me to prove to all the people who’ve been doubting us that we’re here to stay,” he added.
“We also have to survive not only in the ring, but also in the gym as well. The pandemic hit us really hard, so we’ve really struggled to make ends meet. We really had to work double-time. Aside from protecting the reputation of our gym, a good win here would also help with the gym’s expenses.”
Despite circumstances outside of the cage and all the weight he carries on his shoulders, Catalan is trying to put his focus on what is important – domination over Siregar.
He knows that a victory in the first ONE Championship fight of the year would instill much needed confidence in his team.
“[Rene] just reminds me to stay focused. I have to forget all the things that have happened and focus on this match. He reminds me not to waste a lot of time because the pandemic already did that for us. He also reminds me that he’s close to retiring now, and that I’m going to take care of a lot of things here,” Catalan said.
"There’s a lot of pressure on my end, but I know that he’s also having a hard time. There’s pressure. It’s a big responsibility. I have to make sure to get it right so I can repay him for all the help that he’s given me in my career. That’s where the pressure comes from. I know I have to do it the right way, and it starts with this match,” he said.
Catalan acknowledged the threat former national wrestling champion Siregar posed, but with over a decade of experience in professional mixed martial arts, he believed he could maintain the 100 percent victory over Indonesia’s fighters.
“Since he is younger, I expect him to be strong and explosive. That doesn’t bother me, though. I believe I’ve prepared for this, and I plan to lean on my experience,” he said. Catalan concluded, “I’ve been through a lot in the Circle. I’ve won and I’ve lost. I experienced facing strong fighters in the past, and I’ve learned from that. That’s why I believe experience is going to be my weapon. For sure. That’s my target for this match, a knockout win. If he trades with me, that could happen.”
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This article is a collaboration with ONE Championship