Mongolia’s Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu didn’t just hand the Filipino bantamweight his first professional loss – he delivered a masterclass in humility that sent shockwaves through Team Lakay’s mountain fortress.
But from the wreckage of that defeat, “The Machine” has been rebuilt, retooled, and primed for vengeance.
“I was playing around,” Sangiao said of the fight.
“I wasn’t mature enough. I was just going through the motions and merely enjoying the moment.”
The 23-year-old phenom was cruising on natural ability, perhaps too comfortably, when the Mongolian veteran brought him crashing back to earth.
Now, with redemption beckoning at ONE Fight Night 33 on July 11, Sangiao prepares to answer the call inside Bangkok’s legendary Lumpinee Stadium.
His opponent? Another Mongolian knockout artist in Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg, whose reputation for finishing fights precedes him.
The irony isn’t lost on anyone – another Mongolian, another chance to prove the lessons learned in defeat weren’t wasted. But this time, Sangiao has done his homework.
“His ground game is his weakness, for sure, and I’m gonna bring him there,” Sangiao said.
That confidence has been forged at Team Lakay, where Sangiao has been absorbing punishment from some of the most dangerous strikers in mixed martial arts. Carlo “The Bull” Bumina-ang – a human wrecking ball whose explosive power has left countless opponents sleeping on the canvas – regularly tests Sangiao’s chin and resolve.
Jean Claude Saclag, the Wushu World Champion whose strikes can end fights in the blink of an eye, has helped sharpen Sangiao’s defensive instincts.
“I train with better strikers and fighters who hit heavier than him,” Sangiao said.
“I’m working with ‘The Bull’ Carlo Bumina-ang. I’m working with Wushu World Champion Jean Claude Saclag, one of the most explosive strikers in the promotion, so I’m prepared for his striking, for sure.”
But the transformation runs deeper than physical preparation. Sangiao has developed the mental armor that cracked under pressure in his first loss. He expects Zoltsetseg to employ psychological warfare, to showboat and attempt to rattle his composure. The old Sangiao might have been drawn into the theatrics, but the new version has laser focus.
“I expect him to come out showboating. But I won’t be affected. I must not be affected. I have to focus on the game plan and focus on the win,” he said.
“Expect a better Jhanlo Sangiao, expect an upgraded version of ‘The Machine’ when I return. Expect a finish.”
