Team Lakay head coach Mark Sangiao was one of the pioneers of mixed martial arts in the Philippines, but he competed when the sport was in its infancy and opportunities on a global stage were hard to come by.
Now, he’s happy to see that the name “Sangiao” will finally be represented to a worldwide audience, as his son Jhanlo is ONE Championship-bound.
“As a father, there’s no describing it. Seeing him growing up, I know that he’s really passionate about it. He never stopped training. He has spent a lot of time honing his craft, so I told him to pursue it,” he said.
“I am just so proud. I’m delighted that someone will continue my passion and my dream in the world of martial arts.”
Jhanlo comes in as a decorated amateur star, having bulldozed his way through his opponents.
Though, Mark believes his 18-year-old son still has some developing to do, particularly when it comes to handling the pressure of being under the spotlight.
“There are a lot of things that we still need to develop. The most crucial thing is his composure. When you’re starting, your biggest opponent is yourself, so that’s one thing that we have to address for him,” Mark said.
“The nice thing is with the situation now, where there’s still no crowd, it could be easier for him to adjust to the big stage.”
But pressure or no pressure, Jhanlo is good and his father knows it.
Aside from the classic Team Lakay striking that is instilled in his DNA, Jhanlo has also shown his fondness for the ground, often taking people down and finishing them there.
It’s quite different from the Team Lakay strategy that fans have come to see in ONE, but for Mark, it’s a reminder that his squad is growing at a rapid pace, and Jhanlo is at the forefront.
“They have to expect the new generation of Team Lakay in Jhanlo. They’ll see it. They’ll notice how the team truly developed from the first generation to this one.”
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