Just hours after news broke that Juan Gómez de Liaño is set to play in B.League Division 2 with Earth Friends Tokyo Z, Marck Espejo’s home club in the Philippines, Cignal, confirmed the announcement on Wednesday that he will be playing his second season in the Japan league in three years.

“Wishing you all the best in Tokyo, Marck! Team Awesome is with you all the way,” the team said in a statement. 

The 2021-2022 Japan V.League, which will open in October, might feature Bryan Bagunas and Espejo since the former is currently under the same squad which meant the two may have a chance to continue their storied rivalry come the V.League season. 

The UAAP’s lone five-time MVP started his international professional career with Oita Miyoshi Weisse Adler back in 2018.

The 24-year-old spiker then played for Visakha Volleyball Club in the 2020 Thailand league before the season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The former Ateneo Blue Eagle last saw in Bahrain wherein he became the first Filipino to compete for top division Bahrain Volleyball League with Bani Jamra from November 5, 2020 to January.

Espejo is also part of the 20-member Philippine men’s indoor volleyball pool which will compete in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam. 

With the development, FC Tokyo is hoping to upscale its previous record after finishing in eighth place with an 8-27, which is 4.5 games ahead of Oita, win-loss card in the 2020-21 season.