Geje Eustaquio has his family in his corner ahead of Akhmetov rematch

Geje Eustaquio was determined to follow his martial arts journey, now he has his sights set on championship gold.

Eustaquio is making a name for himself on the big stage in ONE Championship, but it took some convincing to get his parents on his side and support him in his martial arts journey.

Baguio City’s Eustaquio had a desire to be a professional martial artist from the moment he discovered martial arts, but his parents weren’t convinced, as he explained.

“At first, my mother was against me taking up martial arts. She was afraid it would interfere with my studies. But I was so determined to become a martial artist, I kept pursuing it,” said the 28-year-old ONE Championship star.

“At the same time, I did not neglect school, but I had to follow my passion, so I kept training. I kept honing my skills and getting better every day.”

The expectation was for Eustaquio to go to the school, earn his qualifications and then move into the working world with a stable job. But the man known to his fans as “Gravity” had other ideas, and was determined to pursue his passion.

“I was hard-headed and stubborn. I had to prove to them that I could handle being an athlete and finish school at the same time,” he explained.

So Eustaquio completed his studies, earning a Masters Degree in Physical Education from the University Of The Cordilleras. But while he was studying for the qualifications his family so desperately wanted him to achieve, he also met the man who would ultimately carve him a path towards his dream.

Mark Sangiao was a wushu coach at the university, and he helped encourage Eustaquio to follow his passion. Eventually, the pair would form a professional bond at Sangiao’s Team Lakay, where “Gravity” now trains.

Since turning pro, Eustaquio has developed into one of the most exciting talents in the ONE flyweight division. His resume already boasts wins over Gianni Subba, Saiful Merican and current ONE Strawweight World Champion Alex “Little Rock” Silva, and he’s already challenged for the title once. Now he has his sights set on a second run at the gold in 2018.

On Friday 26 January in Manila, Eustaquio will face the perfect opponent to showcase his championship credentials. Kairat “The Kazakh” Akhmetov is a former ONE Flyweight World Champion whose only career loss came to the current champion, Brazilian Adriano Moraes. 

With Moraes currently out of action, Eustaquio’s bout with Akhetov has been given added prestige with the ONE Interim Flyweight Title up for grabs.

It’s also a rematch, with the pair meeting in Eustaquio’s most recent outing back in November 2017, when Akhmetov squeaked by the Filipino by split decision after a tightly-contested affair.

Eustaquio said he knows where he fell short in the first bout and will make sure the same fate doesn’t befall him second time around.

“I will push the pace more,” he said.

“I am now more confident with my striking than ever before. This time, I am going to finish this bout like I should have the first go around.

“To make my family, my friends, and my fans proud, to become a world champion, this means a lot to me. I am going to give it my all.”

The bout will be extra special for Eustaquio because it’s not just another chance for him to try to capture championship gold, it’s also a bout that will be witnessed by his parents. It took him a while to win them over to his chosen career path, but now they’re supporting him every step of the way.

“The turning point came when my parents really understood that there was nothing that could stop me from following my passion, from training in martial arts. It is my true calling in life,” he said.

“Now, after all this time, seeing the good that martial arts did in my life, I have their full support. I like to think that they are alongside me each time I enter the cage. They are extremely proud of what I have accomplished, and they finally understand that this is what I love to do.

“They all wanted me to get a regular job, but things did not turn out the way everyone expected. Now they are the ones who push me to train harder. They told me that if I wanted to become a world champion, that I need to work harder. Funny how things work out the way they do. I was destined to do this.”

For Eustaquio, martial arts is more than a sport and more than a career. For “Gravity” martial arts is a way of life, and there was no way he could give up on that journey.

“We learn so many things from martial arts that we can apply in real-life situations,” he said.

“Some of these lessons you cannot find within the four walls of a classroom. I am happy with the decision I made, and now, I am at the peak of my career. A world title is very close, and I feel like this is my time. I would not trade this life for anything.”