Jenelyn Olsim will always be a go-getter through and through.
And with another opportunity arising, the Team Lakay rising star is seizing the opportunity as she steps back inside the ONE Circle at ONE: BAD BLOOD on 11 February in Singapore.
Olsim reacquaints herself with Jihin “Shadow Cat” Radzuan in a women’s atomweight fight that is three months in the making.
“I’m super back in action this February and I’m excited to fight again,” she said.
The two fighters were supposed to fight at ONE: NEXTGEN II last November in an alternate bout in the ONE Women’s Atomweight World Grand Prix until changes had to be made.
Olsim stepped up in place of the injured Itsuki “Android 18” Hirata in the Grand Prix semifinal, as she valiantly fought Ritu “The Indian Tigress” Phogat on short notice, losing via unanimous decision.
The changes, unfortunately, left Radzuan without a match.
Curiously, Olsim once again steps in the place of Hirata, who was originally intended to meet Radzuan in this card but had to pull out due to injuries.
It’s a fact that surprised but also amused the Filipina, who said, “I had no idea that it was Itsuki who I will be replacing again. Maybe it’s a fortunate coincidence? Anyhow, I think she’s a great fighter and I wish her the best.”
Olsim’s focus, however, is on Radzuan now as she hopes to put into work the lessons she got from her last fight against Phogat in her quest to become a more complete fighter.
“My fight with Ritu taught me to be more focused, that I need to have that presence of mind and to execute the game plan in actuality. On the training aspect, nothing has changed. All I have to do now is to execute,” she said.
Daring as her move to take the fight in such a short timeframe, Olsim also pointed out that she wouldn’t change it for the world as she has gained another perspective in fighting here at ONE—a blessing in disguise all the more in the leadup to this match against another capable striker like the Malaysian Radzuan.
“I can say that I really learned a lot from that loss, but that loss has made me way more driven and more aggressive. Like what coach Mark [Sangiao] always says, it’s either we win or we learn,” she said.
That’s why Olsim is just raring to go at it again inside the ONE Circle as she promises, “Expect a highly technical battle and a more aggressive Jenelyn in this match.”
The clash between Olsim and Radzuan will be part of a loaded undercard for ONE: BAD BLOOD, which will be headlined by the heated rivalry between fellow Brazilians Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes and John “Hands of Stone” Lineker for the ONE Bantamweight World Championship.
Also, a ONE Interim Heavyweight World Champion will be crowned when Russian bruiser Anatoly “Spartak” Malykhin and Bulgarian beast Kiril Grishenko face off in the co-main event.
