Gina “Conviction” Iniong will take time off her professional mixed martial arts career to devote time to her growing family.
The fifth-ranked women’s atomweight contender from Team Lakay tied the knot with her longtime partner Richard Araos last October. The happy couple is expecting their first baby.
Upon learning of her pregnancy Iniong considered retirement until Team Lakay head coach Mark Sangiao sat her down and advised her that now is not the time to make such a life-changing decision.
“She thought about retirement, but I told her, ‘Don’t think about it yet.’ I told her to focus on her pregnancy and then maybe she can make decisions after if she really wants to stop,” Sangiao says.
“I told her that it is hard to decide right now. I’ve seen a lot of people retire, then come out of retirement. It’s best for her to just focus on her well-being and pregnancy, and then worry about the next steps in her career later.”
“Conviction” won a 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold medal in kickboxing last December, and then she earned a convincing decision victory over Asha “Knockout Queen” Roka at ONE: Fire and Fury last January.
Her MMA career was on the upswing but her life-changing pregnancy made her reconsider her career options.
“Even before the SEA Games, she was telling me that she wanted to focus on her family. She said they’re getting older and they already want to have a child,” Sangiao explains.
“This is such a huge blessing for her. She wanted this for a long time, and it was given.”
With motherhood beckoning ONE fans may have seen the last of Iniong in combat but she enjoys the full support of Team Lakay as well as ONE Championship promotion regardless of the final decision she makes.
“We told ONE already about it, and they sent their congratulations. They also told her not to think about retirement at this time. It’s her life and whatever she does, we’ll support her.”