Jeremy “The Jaguar” Miado knows all about moving out of his comfort zone to ply his trade overseas and further his MMA career.
So he praised his old foe Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang when the strawweight decided to move back abroad and hone his craft outside of the Philippines.
Adiwang, now training out of HIIT Studio in Bali, Indonesia, is set for his return bout when he takes on Adrian “Papua Badboy” Mattheis at ONE Friday Fights 34: Rodtang vs. Superlek inside Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on September 22.
With the move, Miado believes that the already dangerous “Thunder Kid” will only get better.
“I see Adiwang winning, especially since he’s already abroad. I’m not saying that he wasn’t training right when he was in Team Lakay. But [in Bali], he’ll have plenty of options when it comes to training partners and gyms,” he said.
“I hear he’s cross-training as well with other gyms, and that’s a great thing because he can adapt to many styles and improve more. He was already good before, and I feel like he will only get better with this move. That’s his advantage over Mattheis.”
While the 30-year-old lauded Mattheis’ striking and punching power, the Filipino believes that his compatriot is just as good—if not better—than Mattheis on the feet, and has a deeper bag of tricks than his Indonesian counterpart.
That’s why he sees Adiwang finishing Mattheis, but not with a knockout.
“It’s going to be an exciting battle between two strikers, and I believe Lito Adiwang will take the win, either by submission or decision,” he said.
Adiwang is now back on his feet—literally—following a horrific ACL tear when he and Miado last faced each other. But Miado is happy to see the explosive Baguio City native healthy and up on the saddle.
However, would he be willing to give Adiwang a rematch after this fight to finish unsettled business? It’s possible.
“As for me, I really wouldn’t want to face a Filipino fighter again, but if that’s what ONE wants to do, then I’d have no problems with it,” he said.
“It’s still a good opportunity for us, plus we have unfinished business from that previous fight. So I’m very open to it. For as long as ONE wants it, I have no problems with it.”