Rene Catalan to go up against former world champ Yoshitaka Naito in Myanmar

Filipino striker Rene Catalan is set to fight his toughest foe to date when he takes on former ONE strawweight world champion Yoshitaka Naito on the undercard of ONE: Reign of Valor on March 8 at the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar.

Catalan had a rocky start in ONE Chanpionship after he went 0-2-1 in his first three bouts. Eager to prove his worth in the talent-rich strawweight division, he went back to the drawing board and worked to improve the weaknesses in his game.

His work ethic and determination came to fruition, as he is now riding an impressive five-bout winning streak and has gone unbeaten since 2016. Catalan also dealt Stefer Rahardian his first defeat by unanimous decision last July.

Rene Catalan is looking forward to his March 8 fight against former ONE strawweight world champion Yoshitaka Naito in Myanmar. Photo from ONE

Quickly climbing the ladder in his weight class, Catalan is eager to prove that he is a worthy challenger to the ONE strawweight world title which is currently held by Japan's Yosuke Saruta.

"I am looking to showcase my best form yet against Naito, a former world champion," he said. "Fans can expect a strong performance from me on fight night. I am hungry to challenge for the ONE strawweight world title."

Naito, meanwhile, is known for his high level grappling inside the cage. He holds wins over the biggest names in the strawweight division such as former world titleholders Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke, Alex Silva, and Team Lakay's Joshua Pacio.

Using a combination of strikes and takedowns backed with a granite chin, Naito has proven his ability to take his opponents to deep waters and lock a submission even with the smallest openings.

The Filipino striker is aware that he is in for a difficut contest on fight night, but vows to have all corners covered in training in preparation for Naito.

"Our focus in training is how to stop his takedown attempts," Catalan told. "Naito will surely want this fight on the ground. It is my job to make sure he doesn't get a submission when we are on the mat." —KG, GMA News