After nearly two years away from competition, Jhanlo Mark “The Machine” Sangiao returned stronger than ever at ONE Fight Night 33: Rodrigues vs. Persson on Prime Video this past Friday, July 11.
The 23-year-old picked apart Mongolian striker Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg for three rounds in their bantamweight MMA tilt, eventually getting the rear-naked choke with 18 seconds left in the bout at the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
This was Sangiao’s first match back since losing to #4-ranked bantamweight MMA contender Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu in August 2023.
Though the Team Lakay prince had earned every one of his career victories by first-round stoppage, it took him a little longer to get the win this time around.
The Filipino said:
“I expected him to be strong in the first round, and he was, but I still executed the game plan to take him down. I tried to stay composed, I know I cannot be frustrated, so I kept doing [takedown] attempts until I got him.
“The game plan was to put him on the ground and punish him. The game plan was executed, as you can see from the result.”
But there was more to this performance than just good game planning.
The win means everything to the son of Filipino MMA pioneer Mark Sangiao, especially in how he approached the fight. He didn’t rush, and he didn’t panic. In fact, he showed patience and personal growth.
The Team Lakay prince offered:
“The past couple of years gave me a lot of lessons in life, in general. I believe those things made me a more mature and tougher person.”
The victory pushed Sangiao’s career record to 7-1, including 4-1 in ONE Championship, with all of his promotional wins coming by way of submission.
More importantly, it proved he can overcome difficult setbacks and mental hurdles, and it also showed that he belongs among the MMA elite in the stacked bantamweight division.
Sangiao revealed what this win meant to him:
“It was extremely important. I came from a loss and a long break from competition. I needed this win so much to prove that I am here and will be here.
“This win also made me realize that mental strength is as important as physical strength. Your body may ask you to give up, but your mind should stay focused and push you to keep going.”
Sangiao Reveals How Becoming A Father Changed Everything
Jhanlo Mark Sangiao looked spectacular against Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg, but there was another big story that happened outside of the match.
The Team Lakay martial artist had become a father just days before ONE Fight Night 33, and having a baby at home changed everything about why he competes.
Sangiao revealed the driving force behind his performance:
“Of course, becoming a father gave me a special motivation that pushed me to win this fight. As a father, what I am doing now is for my son.”
With a new fire in his eyes, Sangiao is determined to take his career to the next level. He is ready to inch his way closer to the top-five bantamweight MMA rankings and continue enhancing his skill set.
The division is packed with talented contenders like Stephen Loman, Kwon Won Il, Jeremy Pacatiw, and his old rival Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu. But he doesn’t have anyone in mind just yet for his next assignment.
The young father said:
“For now, I am more focused on going back to training and improving myself. I will leave that to ONE Championship.”
