Carlo Bumina-ang faces a critical juncture in his ONE Championship tenure when he meets undefeated Marcos Aurelio at ONE Fight Night 39 on Friday, January 23, at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
The 31-year-old Filipino enters the bantamweight bout carrying a two-loss record that threatens to define his promotional trajectory unless he can reverse course against the Brazilian star making his promotional debut.
Bumina-ang built momentum throughout 2025 with back-to-back TKO victories over Song Min Jong and Mauro Mastromarini, establishing himself as a finisher capable of imposing his will through striking combinations.
The Team Lakay fighter's aggressive approach produced results until he faced Elbek Alyshov at ONE Fight Night 37 in November. The undefeated Uzbek wrestler neutralized Bumina-ang's dirty boxing in the opening round before dominating once the fight moved to the canvas, forcing a guillotine choke submission in the second frame.
The defeat marked his second promotional loss, following an earlier setback against Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu, who captured the ONE Bantamweight MMA World Championship at ONE Fight Night 38 in December by submitting Fabricio Andrade.
Watching Baatarkhuu achieve title success serves as motivation for Bumina-ang, who sees his own championship aspirations requiring a return to winning form starting January 23.
"Congratulations on your success, Enkh. I wish you well. I hope I can earn a rematch with you soon. Maybe if I can win three or more fights, we can meet again," Bumina-ang stated.
The path back begins against Aurelio, a 21-year-old Brazilian carrying a perfect 8-0 professional record into his promotional debut. The young fighter brings well-rounded skills developed through six finishes, including four knockouts and two submissions earned during his 2023 debut year as a professional.
Aurelio's 2025 accomplishments extended beyond MMA when he captured a WMF Muay Thai Championship in the 67-kilogram pro-am division in Bangkok, demonstrating versatility across striking disciplines.
Bumina-ang recognizes the stylistic elements Aurelio presents while believing the matchup favors his approach. The Brazilian's Muay Thai foundation and counterstriking ability create the type of aggressive opposition Bumina-ang prefers engaging against, though he acknowledges the grappling threat requires vigilance.
"His ground game is good, but he's more of a Muay Thai specialist. He's a good counterstriker and pressure fighter as well. It plays to my style, actually, because I prefer aggressive opponents," Bumina-ang explained. "He's a striker, but I won't underestimate him on the ground. I need to be wary because I believe he'll try to test my grappling."
The stakes extend beyond simple win-loss records for Bumina-ang, who views his position within ONE Championship as precarious following consecutive setbacks. His 8-2 promotional record includes impressive victories but the recent losses threaten to categorize him as a stepping stone for rising contenders unless he can demonstrate resilience against another unbeaten opponent.
"I feel like my back is against the wall since I now have two losses in ONE. My mentality right now is simply kill or get killed," Bumina-ang admitted. "He'll probably be fired up because he's making his debut, and he wants to keep his undefeated record. But I respect him. He's a well-rounded opponent, and I'm excited to face him."
Aurelio arrives seeking the type of emphatic debut that immediately establishes credibility within ONE Championship's competitive bantamweight division. His perfect record faces its most significant test against a veteran who understands what defeat means at this level and fights with corresponding urgency. The Brazilian's youth and unblemished slate contrast with Bumina-ang's experience navigating adversity and the pressure that accompanies needing rather than wanting victory.
The outcome at ONE Fight Night 39 determines diverging paths for both fighters. Victory would restore Bumina-ang's trajectory toward contention while validating his ability to overcome setbacks against dangerous opposition. For Aurelio, success would launch his ONE Championship career with immediate credibility earned by defeating a proven finisher in his promotional debut.
