Filipino prospect Lito Adiwang is hopeful that he can maintain his sizzling start in ONE Championship.
The 26-year-old Baguio City native targets his seventh consecutive victory when he dukes it out with Thailand’s Pongsiri Mitsatit in a three-round strawweight contest at ONE: ‘Fire & Fury’ in Manila.
Considered by many as the future of mixed martial arts in the Philippines, Adiwang will make his much-anticipated Manila debut forthe promotion after putting together a perfect record on ONE Warrior Series.
He then announced his arrival on the main roster at ONE: ‘Century’ last October by making short work of Senzo Ikeda, albeit due to the Japanese fighter suffering an arm injury.
“I am really happy for this coming match. I was asking for this since last year, and luckily for me, they heard my request, and I am here to fight on the first Manila card of 2020,” Adiwang said.
“Other than the opportunity to compete in front of my fellow Filipinos, I am excited to show how much I have improved since the last time I fought.”
Winning streak
Owning an impressive win-loss record of 10-2, Adiwang is currently riding high on a six-bout winning streak. He has dominated each and every bout since joining the ONE Championship developmental league back in October 2018.
For the rising Team Lakay star, his continuous success is hinged on pure desire. He believes that more so than the physical preparation, it is his mindset that sets him apart among others.
“In every fight, I want to make sure I give out my best. I want people to remember my name, to remember me as an athlete who brings energy and excitement. I want people to tune in every time I compete,” he stated.
“That type of mindset is the main reason for my recent victories, and I will definitely show it in my next fights. I hope to continue winning so I can continue inching closer to my dream to be a contender in my division,” Adiwang added.
Striking match
Adiwang does expect a lot from his opponent whom he thinks will do everything to get a victory—but his confidence is unshaken,
“Mitsatit is a young and hungry fighter. I respect him. He is a good fighter and a strong striker and it’s something that I am really preparing for. I expect a striking match against him,” Adiwang assessed.
After winning his first three assignments under the ONE Championship banner, Mitsatit has struggled in four of his last five outings, including a first-round submission loss to Adiwang’s teammate and current strawweight champion Joshua Pacio in July 2018.
Mitsatit might be on the losing end, but Adiwang still considers him as a live wire due to his Muay Thai repertoire.
“I want to test my striking skills with him and give the fans a good show. I believe this will be a good striking match. I’ve always wanted to put on a good show in front of the Manila fans, so expect a hungrier and better version of myself,” he shared.
