As soon as ONE X was announced, Lito Adiwang wanted to be included in the historic fight card. Now, he’s getting that wish.
The No. 5-ranked strawweight contender with a 13-4 mixed martial arts record will take on fellow Filipino Jeremy Miado at the organization’s 10-year anniversary show on Saturday.
When he steps into the ONE circle at Singapore Indoor Stadium, Adiwang will be desperate to bounce back from a tough loss in January. But while the two-time Philippine national wushu champion was apprehensive about facing an opponent who represents the same flag, he anticipates an intense showdown with Miado.
“We need to be professional here and show that we’re in the big league,” Adiwang said. “We are friends outside the circle, but let’s respect the game and show how professional we are. No one should hold back during the fight.”
Of course, anyone who’s followed “Thunder Kid” knows that he always competes hard. The 29-year-old is revered for his aggressive, powerful striking, which he’s used to earn seven knockouts and four submissions.
Miado is also known for his standup skills, though Adiwang expects to expose some flaws in this clash.
“His excellent boxing base is his strength, and he uses his height to his advantage by maximizing his reach,” Adiwang said. “However, I believe his ground game and his striking power needs work. It benefited him that he went against wrestlers because the delivery of his strikes looked good. But once he faces another striker, his punches might not look good anymore.”
Ultimately, this matchup is a chance for each athlete to take their career to the next level. But while he wants to emerge victorious, “Thunder Kid” will have nothing but admiration for Miado – win or lose.
“I respect you,” Adiwang said. “Good luck to us, and I believe we’re in this card because it’s one of the biggest cards in history. Let’s show the world what we’ve got.”
Adiwang eyes rematch with ‘The Monkey God’
Defeating Miado could send Adiwang into a collision with any of the top-five strawweight contenders, including No. 1-ranked Bokang Masunyane, No. 3-ranked Yosuke Saruta and No. 4-ranked Hiroba Minowa.
But if you ask “Thunder Kid,” he’d like to avenge his second-round submission loss to No. 2-ranked Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks.
“I want to face Jarred Brooks again because I’m not content with my performance against him,” Adiwang said. “I believe deep inside that he knows that we’ve tested each other inside the circle.”
Ever since that loss to the American – where Adiwang was thoroughly dominated on the ground – many critics have questioned whether he can ultimately contend for the division’s world title.
If he triumphs at ONE X and gets another shot at “The Monkey God,” the Filipino promises to do whatever it takes to rewrite the outcome.
“A lot of people looked down on me after my latest fight,” Adiwang said. “I also want to prove to the fans that everyone can improve once we put in the work. That’s what I will put on the line if the rematch happens. I lose, I’ll accept my limitations. However, I’ll make sure that I win this time around.”
