By Jun Ray Navarres
Featherweight veteran Edward Kelly admitted that his age forced him to reconsider whether to go back inside ONE Circle or just hang the gloves for good.
The Team Lakay veteran honestly shared that the thought of retirement has crossed his mind.
“Yes, I’ve thought about walking away from it all, mostly due to my age. I’m not a young fighter anymore. I know this is a young man’s game,” said Kelly.
“But I know retirement is just around the corner, because of my age. My mind is willing, but I want to test myself and my body.”
The 36-year-old MMA veteran will get to test his fighting prowess at ONE: FULL BLAST before deciding on his next move.
“The Ferocious” will lock horns with Egyptian powerhouse Ahmed “The Prince” Faress on Friday night, May 28.
“I want to prove to myself that I still have it. I know I still have two to three good fights in me. I want to show the world my fighting heart,” shared Kelly.
“To be honest, I’ve gone back and forth with my coach and my team. They said I was too tense in my fights and that drained a lot of my stamina. We worked a lot on fixing that. It’s a big weakness, but I want to show that I’ve overcome that. I want to show the best Edward Kelly in the Circle.”
Faress, a product of ONE Warrior Series will be making his main roster debut. With 16-3 record in his pockets, his BJJ and Taekwondo capabilities pose a huge threat to Kelly’s return.
However, Kelly is ready to whatever fight Faress will offer him.
“He’s a well-rounded fighter, from what I’ve seen. He’s great on the ground, but I’m also willing to grapple with him all night. I am confident in my grappling skills,” said Kelly.
“I want to dominate this fight from start to finish. That’s my plan. So whatever area this fight goes, I want to dominate him. I want to showcase my hard work.”
Kelly understands the weight attached to his comeback fight and he is ready to how the night will end.
The Team Lakay stalwart also wants to continue his career which is why he is preparing well for the fight.
“Faress is a good opponent. I take nothing away from him. But I do question his fighting spirit. I think that’s where Team Lakay fighters have the advantage. We go out there and put it all on the line,” Kelly said.
“I want to show my true abilities as a fighter. I want people to see the real Edward Kelly, and I want to win.”
