ONE 164: Jhanlo Mark Sangiao prepared to lead Team Lakay into the future

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Singapore, December 13: World-renowned gym Team Lakay was well represented at the recent ONE 164: Pacio vs. Brooks event, and it was one of their brightest new prospects that really shone.

Jhanlo Mark Sangiao came to ONE Championship with plenty of hype, and he delivered another flawless performance in his submission win over countryman Anacleto Lauron at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines on December 3.

The hometown hero needed less than two minutes to dispose of Lauron and go 2-0 inside the Circle. The win pushed his overall record to a perfect 5-0, and when reflecting on the victory, "The Machine" could barely hold back his excitement.

"I'm very hyped up. The feeling is different, especially since I was competing in front of the Filipino crowd. I can't find the right words, but I'm hyped," Sangiao said.

His emphatic performance earned him a US$50,000 bonus courtesy of ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong. But almost more significant than that, the young star received praise from the ONE boss when he spoke at the post-event press conference.

Sityodtong proclaimed that the 20-year-old, son of iconic Team Lakay gym founder and head coach Mark Sangiao, has the potential to be a ONE World Champion. And those kind words certainly buoyed the undefeated martial artists.

"Of course, I'm very happy. Because it's the boss himself who said that I'm [going to be a World Champion] soon, and I'm the future. It truly is exciting," Sangiao said. "I'm motivated that it came from Sir Chatri. I can push myself and train to be better."

ONE 164 was a mixed night overall for Team Lakay. Sangiao and bantamweight star Jeremy Pacatiw ended the night in the winner's column, but there were losses for Joshua Pacio, Geje Eustaquio, Adonis Sevilleno, and Jenelyn Olsim, while Eduard Folayang tasted defeat at ONE Fight Night 5 on the same weekend.

Pacio lost his ONE Strawweight World Title to American rival Jarred Brooks in the main event, meaning that the famed team no longer possesses a World Title in ONE.

The trophy cabinet may have been cleared out in recent years, but Sangiao is confident that Team Lakay will rebound and return to championship glory in the near
future.

"Unfortunately, only the two of us won, but we also learned from this. We don't always win. We can't always be victorious, but we'll take that as a lesson, try to improve, improve, and improve until we get back to the top," he said.

"I know we don't have the belts anymore, but it's not the end. We are here. We are rising. We will do our best to get [the belts] back.

"Team Lakay has a special weapon that can take not just four but a lot of belts."

Source: Media Release