Jeremy Pacatiw and Edward Kelly explain decision to leave Team Lakay

Hard-hitting bantamweight Jeremy Pacatiw and featherweight knockout artist Edward Kelly are the two latest fighters that have decided to leave the fabled Team Lakay.

Last March, former world champions Eduard Folayang, Joshua Pacio, Kevin Belingon, and Honorio Banario surprised the mixed martial arts landscape when they announced their departure from Team Lakay.

Three months later, Pacatiw and Kelly silently left their old team too to join Folayang's newly established outfit, Lions Nation MMA.

"I decided on my own. What I am looking for in a team is training partners. I have been training partners for a long time with Kevin Belingon, Eduard Folayang, and Honorio Banario. We asked coach [Mark Sangiao] to leave," Kelly told Sparring Sessions.

"As a martial artist, I want development, that is what I am looking for. [Team Lakay] helped, but for me, I need to be more developed. The elites who can help me given their experience have left [Team Lakay]," Pacatiw shared.

Edward Kelly has not fought since he defeated Ahmed Faress in 2021 while Pacatiw last saw action this past December at the Mall of Asia Arena where he earned a $50,000 performance bonus for submitting Tial Thang in round two.

According to Pacatiw, he wants to be a more active fighter as he only fought thrice in ONE Championship since signing with the organization in 2021.

"This is the right time for me to venture to become a more active [fighter] and hone my skills," he quipped.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News