In the upcoming mixed martial arts fight ONE: Quest for Power, Liberian MMA fighter Jerome S. Paye is ready to take on Indonesian fighter Stefer Rahardian in Jakarta, Indonesia on 14 January. Paye wants to win big not only for himself and his career, but also for his country.
Who is Jerome S. Paye?
According to a ONE Championship press release, Paye joined his first ONE Championship fight in February 2016, where he was pitted against Chinese MMA fighter Li Hao Jie. He suffered a loss to Li by unanimous decision however. His return to the MMA cage is fueled by his quest for redemption.
He was quoted saying, “For every good fighter, it’s their big dream to get a win in an international MMA organization like ONE Championship. Unfortunately, I didn’t get that chance in my last fight. Now, I have to redeem myself in front of the whole world. That’s why I am so eager to get this win.”
Prior to joining One Championship, he fought in other MMA events, such as The Other Side and Syena MMA Championships.
For Liberia
Paye also made it clear that he wants to make a name in MMA, not only for himself but also for this country, Liberia. According to him, football is the popular sport of choice in his country. They are after all known for Liberian football player George Weah, who was names FIFA World Player of the Year.
He has high hopes for MMA to become popular in his country. He said, “It’s innate for every African to be athletic. If only Liberians can channel that to MMA, I think we will be successful in this sport. Football is a household name in my country. With the same amount of support, MMA can grow.”
He pointed out that he was very proud to be given the opportunity to represent his country. He said, “It’s truly a privilege to represent Liberia in ONE Championship. Not all gets that opportunity.”
The ONE: Quest for Power match is on January 14, 8:30 p.m. Jakarta time. It will be available via paid livestreaming on ONEFC.com.