‘My Survival Is On The Line’ – Shozo Isojima Promises Dominant Finish Against Eduard Folayang At The Inner Circle 21
Shozo “Great Teacher” Isojima does not simply want to beat Eduard “Landslide” Folayang. After two frustrating setbacks in the world’s largest martial arts organization, the Japanese judoka firmly believes he needs to produce the kind of dominant performance that proves he still belongs among ONE Championship’s elite.
The 28-year-old has dedicated himself more fully to martial arts, but this story is not merely about what he changed outside the ring. It is about exactly what he intends to showcase inside it.
On Friday, July 10, Isojima will face the Filipino icon in a high-stakes lightweight MMA co-main event at The Inner Circle 21. The blockbuster card streams live in Asia primetime from Bangkok’s iconic Lumpinee Stadium, exclusively for members at live.onefc.com.
The matchup gives Isojima a golden chance to rebound against a former three-time ONE Lightweight MMA World Champion, an Asian MMA pioneer, and a seasoned veteran boasting 23 career victories. But the 28-year-old also intrinsically knows this massive opportunity arrives at a critical juncture in his career.
The Japanese fighter said:
“In my last two fights, I really lost without being able to do anything at all. This fight feels like my survival in ONE Championship is on the line. I need to win for sure. I need to leave a really strong impression, winning in a dominant way.
“If I don’t win in an overwhelming way, the future conversation changes. So I’m aiming for an early finish and building everything toward achieving a good result.”
That immense urgency fundamentally changed how Isojima approached his professional career.
The N-Trust representative had previously been balancing elite competition with his demanding work as a physical education teacher. But after his recent setbacks, he decided that fighting top-tier athletes in ONE required a much deeper level of overall commitment.
Isojima explained:
“Now, I’m basically just training in martial arts. So I’m able to spend time on preparing for fights and conditioning my body.
“Thinking about fighting against top fighters, I felt like I needed to dedicate everything to it.”
That shifted mindset gives this co-main event incredible extra weight.
Isojima is certainly not facing an ordinary opponent. Folayang remains a massive, heroic figure in the Philippines — a grizzled veteran who helped define ONE’s lightweight MMA division and built his fearsome reputation through explosive wushu-based striking, relentless pressure, and years of World Championship experience.
Isojima said:
“As a fighter, I’m really grateful to ONE for finding such a big-name opponent for me every single time. He’s still a heroic figure in the Philippines, and even though he’s become quite a veteran fighter at this point, I felt like he’s a wall I need to overcome.”
Isojima Plans To Take Folayang Into Deep Water
Eduard Folayang’s immense experience demands absolute respect, but Shozo Isojima sees the clearest path to victory in one specific area.
The Filipino legend has spent much of his storied career punishing opponents with his devastating striking, constant forward movement, and ability to apply suffocating pressure on the feet. Isojima fully expects those weapons to be highly dangerous early on, but he does not plan to fight on Folayang’s preferred terms for long.
The Japanese athlete said:
“As for his strengths, I think his stand-up striking and the way he applies pressure there are really strong, watching him.
“For my part, I want to weather the striking exchanges and bring it to the ground game. Since he’s a veteran fighter, I think by the second or third round, my stamina will definitely be stronger, so I want to bring the fight into that kind of situation.”
That calculated game plan points directly to Isojima’s elite judo base.
His best route to victory begins with closing the distance, disrupting Folayang’s striking rhythm, and turning the contest into a grueling grappling-heavy battle. Once he gets inside the clinch, Isojima believes his powerful throws, heavy top control, slick submissions, and punishing ground-and-pound can create the exact kind of dominant performance he urgently needs.
He said:
“In terms of judo throws and judo techniques, the technique suited for MMA that I’m good at is the armbar submission, and other than that, I think I can fight advantageously with ground control too.
“My strength is definitely the takedown – the technique of taking down my opponent, and then controlling them and transitioning to ground-and-pound. That’s the style I’m good at.”
That systematic approach gives Isojima a crystal-clear finishing picture.
After completely changing his daily preparation and committing more fully to his martial arts career, the Japanese standout wants his hard work to manifest in a result that simply cannot be ignored.
Isojima concluded:
“I’m definitely aiming for a finish. I want to properly control the first two rounds myself, and if possible, build up ground and pound in a really exciting way and head toward a finish.”
