AS he gears up to step inside the ring once again on August 5, Jhanlo “The Machine” Sangiao has one goal in mind, and that’s to keep his remarkable undefeated streak intact.
The 21-year-old Filipino phenom is penciled in to lock horns with Mongolia’s Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu for a three-round bantamweight MMA clash at ONE Fight Night 13, which goes down live from the fabled Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Sangiao holds an immaculate 6-0 professional record with a 100 percent finishing rate, with three of his wins happening under the ONE Championship banner.
At all costs and in whatever manner it may be, the proud La Trinidad, Benguet native is keen on sustaining the momentum he started with. In his promotional debut in December 2021, Sangiao submitted Paul Lumihi with a wrenching rear-naked choke in the first round.
“What matters to me is that I do my best in pursuit of a win. The knockout or submission, that’s just a bonus to me. I’m going in there to fight and to win. That’s my own goal,” he said.
With his next outing providing him with a litmus test of what he should expect at the elite level of his division, “The Machine” is leaving no stone unturned in his preparations.
“I have a lot of training partners who are very, very strong and keeping me sharp for this fight,” he said.
“For me, I’m just here to train and to fight. I don’t care who it is. Whoever ONE Championship decides to send my way, I’m taking it. I’m training hard and pushing myself every day to come out on top.”
In fact, Team Lakay comrade Adonis “The Lion” Sevilleno is now playing a key role in Sangiao’s training camp.
The ONE Warrior Series Philippines winner lost a grueling encounter against Baatarkhuu by unanimous decision this past April.
“Adonis has been telling me a lot about what [Baatarkhuu] can do, and it really helps me to formulate the right approach for this fight,” Sangiao said.
Knowing that he’s facing a seasoned veteran with high-pressure striking and energetic wrestling, Sangiao remains confident in his abilities and unfazed by the challenges that lie ahead.
“I’m stronger, I’m younger, and I’m hungrier than him at this point in my career. His advantage, at least how I see it, is his experience since he’s a lot older than me. I’m confident I can beat him, though,” he said.