Filipino strawweight Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang considers his inclusion in ONE X a monumental milestone in his mixed martial arts career.
The Team Lakay mainstay faces compatriot Jeremy “The Jaguar” Miado during ONE Championship’s tenth-anniversary show on Saturday, Mar. 26.
For the 28-year-old wushu sanda expert, a specific pairing made him excited to take the Circle at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on the same day.
“I’m very happy and honored that I’m part of ONE X because it’s a big event. I’ve visualized the Rodtang versus DJ (Demetrious Johnson) fight,” the two-time Philippine National Wushu Champion said.
“I really wanted to be on that card, and it happened. It’s a blessing for me because ONE X will finally push through, and I’m part of the schedule.”
Given that he will compete during the event that will celebrate ONE’s first ten years, the former top-ranked strawweight contender can’t help but reminisce about his debut in The Home of Martial Arts.
While Adiwang scored a first-round knockout over Manuel Huerta at ONE WARRIOR SERIES 3, he dealt with a combination of feelings going into that fight.
“I had mixed emotions leading to my debut at ONE Championship. But the only thing I remember was that I did not feel fear or nervousness coming into the big league,” the competitor with a 5-2 record at ONE quipped.
“Happiness won over me because I’ve finally arrived on the big stage. I was also excited to perform,” he added.
Even Adiwang had no idea how that faceoff with Huerta would unfold. Despite MMA’s unpredictability, his vision was set in stone when he started to compete in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
“I also planned that, regardless of the outcome of that fight, my goal was to make a name for myself. Win or lose, fans should remember me,” the Benguet-based fighter revealed.
Three years into his career in ONE, the combatant with a 13-4 MMA record is still grateful to the promotion that has helped him improve as a fighter.
“ONE Championship has been a big help to me. They’ve helped me grow as a mixed martial artist. They helped me become a household name on the big stage. ONE gave me a platform to perform, plus they promoted me. I became known globally,” he said. (PR) – bny
