Photo: UFC

By Miguel Palaban

Eros Baluyot has been cleared to take on the most important assignment of his mixed martial arts career as he gears up for Road To UFC Season 5.

The 33-year-old officially made weight at 125 pounds for his flyweight quarterfinal clash against Japan’s Takeru Uchida, who also came in at the same mark. Their three-round bout is scheduled for Friday, May 29, at the Galaxy Arena in Macau, China.

Road To UFC follows a win-and-advance format designed to put the spotlight on emerging talent from the Asia-Pacific region. Athletes battle through a single-elimination bracket across multiple divisions, with the ultimate winners earning UFC contracts.

Baluyot enters the tournament carrying steady momentum since his transition to the all-encompassing sport in 2022. He has put together four straight victories, a run that includes capturing the vacant URCC flyweight title after defeating Robin Leonen in May 2024.

His rise also took him beyond the local scene when he competed under ONE Championship’s Friday Fights banner in November 2024, where he submitted Changy Kara-Ool via second-round heel hook.

He followed it up with a successful URCC title defense against Rene Catalan Jr. in May 2025 before adding another stoppage win over ONE veteran Elipitua Siregar under Canggu Fight Night later that year.

Uchida, meanwhile, brings an 8-2 record and prior Road To UFC experience into the matchup, making him a tested opponent at this stage of the competition.

Baluyot now stands on the brink of a potential UFC breakthrough, needing to get past Uchida to move deeper into the tourney bracket.

The Submission Sports Philippines member is set to suit up for action on the second night of the Road To UFC Season 5 opener, while compatriot Kimbert Alintozon begins his bantamweight campaign on Night One on Thursday, May 28, against Rabindra Dhant.