KEY POINTS

  • Jhanlo Sangiao pulled off a successful debut at ONE: Winter Warriors II, winning via submission
  • Paul Lumihi tried to keep pace with Sangiao, but the youngster was simply quicker on the draw
  • His win points towards a new generation of Team Lakay fighters that are well-versed in all aspects of the fight game

Jhanlo Sangiao’s journey with ONE Championship is off to a solid start after defeating Indonesian veteran Pual Lumihi via rear-naked choke in the opening match of the ONE: Winter Warriors II main card.

The 19-year-old revealed to the media through a virtual press conference that he felt nervous going into the fight, but he made sure to use it as motivation instead.

Sangiao was quick to impose his will on Lumihi as soon as the fight started, putting pressure on the 33-year-old to strike with him and Lumihi happily obliged.

A few striking exchanges later and it seemed as if Sangiao was stunned after he caught a stray left hand from Lumihi that forced him to backpedal.

“I actually didn’t feel rattled when he hit me early on in the fight. When I backed into the cage, it was more like I was pushed back rather than hit, I felt imbalanced more than hurt and then I got tripped. It really didn’t register to me that I took a punch. I really didn’t feel it,” Sangiao jovially revealed.

Sangiao found his footing quickly after the hit and went after Lumihi with more bombs before eventually landing a solid double leg takedown against the cage.

The Team Lakay youngster quickly got to work on the ground and moved into advantageous positions before eventually securing the rear-naked choke that compelled Lumihi to tap.

His father and head coach of Team Lakay, Mark Sangiao, was in his corner for the fight and was asked about the 42-year-old’s reactions to the fight.

“He was very happy because I did my best and I was able to win my fight while also applying the things that I’ve learned during training camp in Baguio City [in the Philippines]. I was able to do it perfectly and he was very happy with the result,” said Sangiao.

His debut fight was everything that he and his camp could hope for, and it also points towards the next generation of Team Lakay fighters being more well-rounded compared to their predecessors.

Sangiao looked particularly dominant in both the striking game and the grappling game on the ground as he was able to quickly transition into the back mount that led to the submission win.

Though the renowned gym from the Philippines had two wins and two losses for the event, no one can deny that the 19-year-old is eager to prove that he belongs in the Singapore-based promotion.

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