THERE’S a renaissance happening in Philippine MMA and Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang is all here for it.
The SOMA Fight Club fighter believes that mixed martial arts in the country is on the rise once more with ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio and ONE Atomweight MMA World Champion Denice Zamboanga leading the way.
“With the way things are going today, we can say that this is really the resurgence of Philippine MMA,” Adiwang said.
“We’ve been building momentum over the past few months, and it’s time to rise once more.”
But it’s not only the champions who are making waves. Adiwang noted the young fighters competing in the ONE Friday Fights circuit, including the two who will compete at ONE Friday Fights 109 this May 23 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Team Lakay’s Jean Saclag faces Turkmenistan’s Shazada Ataev in a flyweight battle while Marwin Quirante meets Russia’s Torepchi Dongak in a three-round strawweight bout.
What makes Adiwang excited is how despite everything that happened over the past few years, things are still looking up for mixed martial arts in the country.
The departures opened doors for fighters like Saclag in Team Lakay to step up, and Adiwang is happy about it.
“After everything that happened, the losses, the drama, the departures and what not, we’re still producing great fighters,” Adiwang said.
“New talents are rising, getting to show their skills. Marwin Quirante is one example, my former teammates in Team Lakay in Carlos Alvarez and Carlo Bumina-ang, they’re showing that the future of Philippine MMA is secure.”
