Following his teammate’s loss over the weekend, ONE flyweight champion Geje Eustaquio became more determined to keep his title in Philippine shores.

Eustaquio faces Adriano Moraes for the third time in ONE Championship’s first trilogy bout at Mall of Asia Arena on Friday.

The fight is the main event of the ONE: Hero's Ascent card.

Over the weekend, Joshua Pacio, a Team Lakay fighter like Eustaquio, lost the ONE strawweight belt after absorbing a narrow decision loss to Yusuke Saruta.

“(The loss) is pressure and at the same time motivation to keep me going,” said Eustaquio, who became the undisputed flyweight king after outsmarting Moraes in their rematch last year.

“I’ve got a title to defend for my team and I’ll do my best to retain the title.”

But Moraes, eyeing to become the only 3-time champion in ONE Championship, is motivated, too.

The Brazilian fighter was the inaugural flyweight champion before losing the crown to Kairat Akhmetov in 2015. He reclaimed the title 2 years later by avenging that defeat.

“We’re going to make history this Friday,” said Moraes, who insisted he was the rightful winner of their second bout against Eustaquio.

“I won the first bout, and for me I won the second, too,” Moraes said. “I’ll win the third on Friday.”

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