Islay Erika Bomoga. Photo from ONE Championship.MANILA — In her first fight as an official part of the ONE Championship main roster, Islay Erika Bomogao showed exactly why the promotion is high on her.
Bomogao made short work of Spanish fighter Narea Rubio, scoring a sensational first-round KO win in their 103-pound featured Muay Thai bout at ONE Friday Fights 111 on June 6 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
The 24-year-old was at a loss for words when asked about how she felt scoring her first-ever knockout win since making her debut in ONE Championship last year.
"Beyond thrilled. It's a dream come true," Bomogao said.
The pride of Baguio City looked composed as she gamely faced a highly aggressive Rubio early on, confidently responding with strikes of her own while patiently waiting for an opportunity to hit the big one.
It didn't take long for the opportunity to come.
The Team Bagsik star timed a beautiful straight punch right into Rubio's sternum which, after a split-second delayed reaction, sent the Spanish fighter crashing to the canvas and not in the position to continue fighting.
It was such a fluid strike that it looked like Bomogao was practicing that exact attack for the longest time during her camp.
The young Filipina said that wasn't the case. The plan was to throw everything with the intent of finishing the fight.
"I wasn't specifically targeting the body," she said. "The game plan was to target everything – head, body, legs. I must deal with every strike with power. I saw an opportunity for a clean shot, and I took it."