More than 500 years after Lapu-Lapu defeated Ferdinand Magellan at the Battle of Mactan, his legacy continues to inspire generations of Filipinos.
For UFC fighter Jonny Parsons, that story carries a personal meaning that he takes with him every time he steps into the Octagon.
Parsons, a Filipino-American whose mother is from Cebu, learned about the legendary warrior only in 2020, well into his mixed martial arts career. But once he discovered Lapu-Lapu's story, he found a connection to the resilience and spirit that have become part of his identity as a fighter.
"I have the warrior spirit," Parsons told ESPN. "My mom is from Cebu, so I have that Lapu-Lapu fighting spirit in me.
"It's definitely about resilience and holding it down for your people."
On April 27, 1521, Lapu-Lapu led native warriors against Magellan's forces at the Battle of Mactan in the Visayan islands of the Philippines. Using their knowledge of the terrain, the defenders overcame the Portuguese explorer's armed expedition and killed Magellan, disrupting Portugal's efforts to establish control over the islands.
Lapu-Lapu's victory remains a defining moment in Philippine history. He is celebrated as a symbol of Filipino resistance, courage and independence.
Parsons will carry that same resolve into his next challenge. The 35-year-old is set to face José Souza in a welterweight bout at UFC Fight Night: Cortes-Acosta vs. Walker.
"It's just a great story about overcoming the odds," Parsons said.
"They won that battle against Magellan, and in [Lapu-Lapu's] lifetime, the Philippines wasn't conquered. It wasn't until years after he was gone that they were conquered.
"I definitely want to say that my fighting spirit comes from that side of the family."
Parsons will have his own odds to overcome against Souza, as the Brazilian stands 6-foot-3 and holds a 10-inch reach advantage over the 5-foot-9 Parsons.
Souza, 24, carries a 9-1 professional record and is 1-0 in the UFC. On the other hand, Parsons owns a 9-3 record, including a 1-0 mark in the UFC.
The Filipino-American is returning from a layoff of 40 months after persistent hip flexor and groin injuries disrupted his training and kept him away from competition.
Still, he believes he has the tools to deal with the physical disadvantage and make a statement in his return.
"I'm no stranger to fighting a taller, longer opponent," he said.
"I think I have all the tools and weapons to defeat this guy [Souza].
"It just means that everyone's going to be able to see the best Jonny Parsons so far. But not the best ever, because I'm still getting better."
The extended break did not mean stepping away from the sport. Parsons, who is also now a mixed martial arts coach, kept training, shifting his focus to building strength, improving his conditioning, and addressing the physical issues that had held him back.
"This whole time that I've been off, I've been training," he told ESPN.
"I've been focusing on my strength and conditioning to help mend injuries and certain problem areas that were giving me issues during training.
"So I would say right now, I'm the healthiest and strongest I've ever been."
The experience also forced Parsons to rethink how he prepares for fights.
Rather than pushing through every session, he learned to treat recovery as seriously as training to develop a more disciplined approach to keeping his body healthy.
"I put a very heavy emphasis on my strength and conditioning training here in Vegas at the Performance Institute," he said.
"I also put much more effort into my recovery. Sometimes recovery, well, actually all the time, recovery is not just laying in bed and resting.
"Recovery is stretching. Recovery is a cold plunge, a sauna and walking. So I've really developed a much smarter training regimen that has allowed me to train at a very high level while avoiding all types of injuries."
Parsons is ready to show what that patience and discipline have produced.
"I'm very calm when I go into fights, and I'm very peaceful. I know I fight the best when I'm at peace. And it's very easy for me now to find that peace."
