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MMA: Edward Kelly knows retirement 'just around the corner'

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/05/26/kelly-(1).jpg"/><figcaption>Team Lakay&#x27;s Edward Kelly in action.<em> Handout photo</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA, Philippines -- Veteran mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Edward &quot;The Ferocious&quot; Kelly won&#x27;t deny that retirement has crossed his mind, even as he prepares for his first bout in more than a year.</p><p>The 36-year-old Kelly has dropped three of his last four matches in ONE Championship, and he knows that he&#x27;s not getting any younger.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;ve thought about walking away from it all, mostly due to my age,&quot; he admits. &quot;I&#x27;m not a young fighter anymore. I know this is a young man&#x27;s game.&quot;</p><p>But retirement will have to wait, as Kelly is set to take on Egypt&#x27;s Ahmed &quot;The Prince&quot; Faress at ONE: Full Blast, a tape-delayed event from the Singapore Indoor Stadium which airs this Friday, May 28.</p><p>This next bout will be the gauge for Kelly, as he determines how much he has left in the tank.</p><p>&quot;I want to prove to myself that I still have it. I know I still have two to three good fights in me. I want to show the world my fighting heart,&quot; said Kelly.</p><p>&quot;But I know retirement is just around the corner, because of my age,&quot; he also admits. &quot;My mind is willing but I want to test myself and my body.&quot;</p><p>It will be a difficult test, as Faress is a taekwondo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist. A ONE Warrior Series product, the Egyptian fighter carries a 16-3 professional record into his ONE Championship debut.</p><p>Kelly noted that Faress is a &quot;well-rounded fighter&quot; but he is confident that he can impose his will and execute his game plan.</p><p>&quot;He&#x27;s great on the ground, but I&#x27;m also willing to grapple with him all night. I am confident in my grappling skills,&quot; said Kelly. &quot;I want to dominate him. I want to showcase my hard work.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Faress is a good opponent. I take nothing away from him. But I do question his fighting spirit. I think that&#x27;s where Team Lakay fighters have the advantage. We go out there and put it all on the line,&quot; he added.</p><p>&quot;I want to show my true abilities as a fighter. I want people to see the real Edward Kelly, and I want to win.&quot;</p><p>ONE: Full Blast also features a major ONE Super Series bantamweight Muay Thai showdown between No. 1-ranked Saemapetch Fairtex and his Thai compatriot Kulabdam &quot;Left Meteorite&quot; Sor. Jor. Piek Uthai.</p><div><strong>FROM THE ARCHIVES:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1634180" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>Veteran MMA fighter Edward "The Ferocious" Kelly won't deny that retirement has crossed his mind, even as he prepares for his first bout in more than a year.</p>

Veteran MMA fighter Edward "The Ferocious" Kelly won't deny that retirement has crossed his mind, even as he prepares for his first bout in more than a year.