‘My Back Is Against The Wall’ – Carlo Bumina-ang Ready To Go For Broke Against Undefeated Marcos Aurelio At ONE Fight Night 39
Carlo “The Bull” Bumina-ang refuses to let his setbacks become his story.
The Filipino powerhouse looks to return to winning ways when he faces undefeated Brazilian Marcos Aurelio in a bantamweight MMA clash at ONE Fight Night 39: Rambolek vs. Dayakaev on Prime Video. On Friday, January 23, the 31-year-old begins his comeback trail at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium, streaming live in U.S. primetime.
Bumina-ang was making serious waves in the bantamweight MMA division in 2025, unleashing back-to-back TKO finishes over “Double Hearts” Song Min Jong and Mauro “Dinamita” Mastromarini. But his momentum hit a wall when he faced undefeated Elbek Alyshov at ONE Fight Night 37 in November.
The Team Lakay standout initially found success in the opening round with dirty boxing. However, he had zero answers once the fight hit the canvas, ultimately tapping to a guillotine choke in the second frame.
Speaking to onefc.com, Bumina-ang reflected on where the fight slipped away:
“In the first round, the momentum was mine. But he snuck in some slick body shots on me. Those knees to the body took their toll, and I felt it weighing down on me as the fight progressed.
“Once I sat on the stool after the first round, my knees felt stiff. I tried to tough it out in the second round but couldn’t.”
That humbling setback pushed Bumina-ang’s record to 8-2, derailing what could have been a perfect year.
While disappointed, the Baguio native now has a chance to redeem himself against another unbeaten threat. Aurelio arrives as a dangerous Brazilian finisher looking to make an emphatic first impression.
The 21-year-old brings a perfect 8-0 record to his promotional debut, showcasing well-rounded skills with victories via both knockout and submission. Bumina-ang understands the challenge ahead but believes the stylistic matchup favors him.
“The Bull” explained:
“His ground game is good, but he’s more of a Muay Thai specialist. He’s a good counterstriker and pressure fighter as well. It plays to my style, actually, because I prefer aggressive opponents.
“He’s a striker, but I won’t underestimate him on the ground. I need to be wary because I believe he’ll try to test my grappling. My two losses were by submission, so he’ll probably think he can take me there. But I’ll prove him wrong if he tries.”
Now facing a critical crossroads, Bumina-ang admits feeling the weight of his recent shortcomings.
He aims to prove he belongs in the upper echelon of the bantamweight landscape, unwilling to let anyone use him as a stepping stone.
The ONE Friday Fights contract winner added:
“I feel like my back is against the wall since I now have two losses in ONE. My mentality right now is simply kill or get killed.
“He’ll probably be fired up because he’s making his debut, and he wants to keep his undefeated record. But I respect him. He’s a well-rounded opponent, and I’m excited to face him.”
Bumina-ang Hopes To Earn A Rematch With New Bantamweight King Baatarkhuu
Carlo Bumina-ang watched in awe as Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu made history by capturing the ONE Bantamweight MMA World Championship at ONE Fight Night 38 this past December. The Mongolian warrior dethroned Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade with a stunning fourth-round rear-naked choke in what became ONE Championship’s 2025 Fight Of The Year.
For the Filipino standout, it was a familiar feeling. Baatarkhuu handed him his first promotional loss with a last-second submission at ONE Fight Night 24 in August 2024.
Despite their history, Bumina-ang felt no envy but rather pride in witnessing his former opponent’s journey to the summit.
“The Bull” shared:
“It was a very impressive performance. He’s a complete fighter, and he’s an absolute warrior. I was so impressed.
“That guy is unreal and tough as nails. He has this undeniable warrior’s mindset. He never gave up. His hard work really paid off, and I’m inspired by him.”
Watching Baatarkhuu achieve his dreams motivates Bumina-ang to keep pushing toward the pinnacle himself.
He hopes to build another winning streak beginning with Marcos Aurelio on January 23. Should the Baguio native put together a winning run, a rematch with “The Tormentor” could materialize down the line — this time with 26 pounds of gold hanging in the balance.
Bumina-ang said:
“Congratulations on your success, Enkh. I wish you well. I hope I can earn a rematch with you soon. Maybe if I can win three or more fights, we can meet again.”
