At just 21 years old, Jhanlo Mark Sangiao has blasted his way through the opposition so far, and he won’t let anything stop him until he reaches the top.
The unbeaten Filipino prodigy gets his toughest test to date in Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu at ONE Fight Night 13: Allazov vs. Grigorian on Prime Video. But he’s confident he has what it takes to overcome the Road to ONE: Mongolia winner and continue his rapid rise up the bantamweight MMA rankings.
Raised in his father Mark Sangiao’s renowned Team Lakay gym, “The Machine” feels like the skills he has amassed over his lifetime will be the key difference when the pair face off on Friday, August 4, at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Though he’s not expecting an easy night, the rising star said:
“I don’t want to sound too confident, he’s certainly a strong fighter, but I don’t think we’re at the same skill level. I’ve been doing this since I was a kid. That’s why I know that I can hang with whatever he plans to do, for sure.
“His wrestling is definitely his strong point. He also loves dirty boxing, where he’d clinch you and throw punches from that position. We’re already studying how to defend it and avoid being in that clinch altogether.
“I’ve been working on my wrestling defense for him, but most importantly I’m planning to use it offensively as well. I’m going to be the one pushing the fight here and gunning for the offense.”
Standing at a perfect 6-0 with a trio of first-round finishes on his ONE slate to date, Sangiao is regarded as one of the fastest-rising stars in The Home of Martial Arts.
However, now that he’s proven he knows how to win on the big stage, “The Machine” is ready to take it to the next level.
The Baguio City native believes he has what it takes to reach the ONE Bantamweight World Title, and a win in Bangkok would be another massive step toward that goal.
Sangiao said:
“I want to prove something. Fans have been telling me that this is the biggest test that I’ll be facing in my ONE Championship career. I say no. I’m just starting. This isn’t the test for me. The biggest test for me would be a World Title fight.”
Jhanlo Mark Sangiao Has Insider Knowledge For ONE Fight Night 13 Camp
Every little thing helps when it comes to taking on a tough rival like Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu, so Jhanlo Mark Sangiao has turned to a Team Lakay teammate for help in the run-up to his next battle.
Adonis Sevilleno faced the Mongolian at ONE Friday Fights 13 in April, dropping a decision after 15 hard minutes of action.
Armed with the valuable insights from his training partner, alongside the coaching from his dad, Sangiao feels more than ready to get redemption on August 4.
He said:
“Preparation has been great for me. I have a lot of excellent training partners in the gym. Adonis has been in my ear all throughout the camp because he’s already faced him. Coach Mark has also been preparing a great game plan for this.
“In his fight against Adonis, I felt like Adonis could’ve beaten him. The problem was Adonis didn’t initiate the offense in that fight. He became very defensive against Enkh-Orgil, and that’s why he stumbled.
“Now, Adonis is actively helping me out, telling me things that I have to look out for and how he fights in the ring.”
