ENKH-ORGIL Baatarkhuu believes he’s up for an interesting night when he takes on the young and dynamic Jhanlo Mark “The Machine” Sangiao in a crucial bantamweight MMA bout this Saturday.
The pair look to better their positions in the ONE bantamweight division when they clash at ONE Fight Night 13: Allazov vs. Grigorian on 5 August inside Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
The Mongolian had nothing but nice things to say for the second-generation martial artist, noting Sangiao’s well-roundedness and potential.
“I’ve done my research on my opponent and watched some of his previous fights. He’s a highly skilled and promising young athlete, known for his speed and agility in the ring,” he said.
“Studying his fighting style has given me a better understanding of what to expect in the upcoming bout.”
The 21-year-old has been nothing short of fantastic in his stint in The Home of Martial Arts, finiszing all three of his opponents in the first round through his impressive grappling.
In his matches against Paul Lumihi, LA Lauron, and Matias Farinelli, Sangiao overwhelmed those guys with his combination of speed and explosiveness, allowing him to take down his opponents with ease and work from there.
It’s something that Baatarkhuu isn’t taking lightly.
“My opponent’s strengths lie in his impressive speed and agility, which can be challenging to counter. To cope with this, I’ll focus on maintaining my composure and staying sharp throughout the fight,” he said.
“I’ll leverage my own strengths and use strategic techniques to neutralize his speed advantage.”
While he sang Sangiao praises, Baatarkhuu believes that he’s still at an advantage against “The Machine,” especially with all the wars that he’s gone through in the past.
“My biggest advantage in this fight will be my well-rounded skill set and the experience gained from previous competitions. I’ll strive to play to my strengths and execute my game plan effectively while remaining unpredictable and adaptable in the ring,” he said.
“This fight is undoubtedly going to be intense, and I anticipate it will be a hard-fought battle. I’m confident in my abilities and determination to prove myself as a formidable opponent.
“While it’s challenging to predict the exact outcome, I’m focused on giving my best performance and aiming for a decisive victory.”