Throughout 2021, Team Lakay’s Lito Adiwang continued to cement his reputation as one of the most explosive mixed martial arts fighters in ONE Championship despite losing in his last fight for the year.
In January, the Filipino knocked out Namiko Kawahara with a highlight-reel left hook to stop the Japanese fighter, who was then rated as a formidable opponent.
Then in September, Adiwang showcased his wild striking repertoire to defeat Hexigetu (one name) via unanimous decision in an entertaining three-round thriller. As a result, the 28-year-old earned the number five contender spot in ONE’s strawweight rankings.
He, however, fell to American rival Jarred Brooks in the main event of ONE: NextGen III in Singapore in December.
It was a disappointing setback for “Thunder Kid,” but he remained determined to use that misfortune as fuel for bigger and better things in 2022.
In an interview with ONE Championship, Adiwang talked about his heated rivalry with Brooks, who he wanted to fight next, his favorite memories from the past year, and much more.
“I believe that I was ready for his wrestling, I was honestly prepared for it, but I was surprised with his approach in the bout. I expected him to come in and test the waters with me on the feet and then try to take me down. But no, he had other plans. He decided to shoot right away and to be honest, he kind of frustrated me with that,” Adiwang said.
He added, “I believe that Jarred Brooks made me a better fighter. I’ve learned a lot from him. I’ve also learned a lot about myself. I found out that no matter how hard I try to improve, I have to continuously double my efforts because there will be better people out there.”
Meanwhile, Adiwang said it is too early for Brooks to challenge reigning ONE strawweight world champion Joshua Pacio for the title, saying the American needs to prove himself more by winning a few more fights. – ONE release
April 20, 2024
