Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang gained some momentum in ONE Championship after winning back-to-back fights against Namiki Kawahara and “Wolf of the Grasslands” Hexigetu.
Unfortunately, Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks stole his thunder via second-round submission at ONE: NEXTGEN III this past November.
While the fight happened roughly three months ago, the taste of defeat still lingers with the strawweight from Team Lakay. To him, several factors affected his performance against the American wrestler.
“Yes, I must admit that the pressure got into me because that’s my first major fight at ONE Championship,” Adiwang shared in a recent interview. “I was surprised with how big the moment was. It’s like you know your moves, but you’re late by one step in executing them.”
However, the 28-year-old competitor from Benguet gained some valuable wisdom from that setback.
“My biggest lesson is that you need to prepare mentally and focus. Even if you are physically capable, you cannot afford to be out of focus entering the Circle,” the competitor with a 71 percent finish rate at ONE revealed.
“Without it, you won’t be able to execute your game plan no matter how much you practice. Focus is essential once you’re there.”
Fighters often start with a clean slate by forgetting moments of failure. But Adiwang will never forget that experience by naming it one of his most memorable experiences in The Home of Martial Arts.
“It’s a wake-up call for me to be serious and focused now that we’re part of the elite athletes. I must address any loopholes (that I have) so that I won’t experience defeat again,” the former ONE Warrior Series competitor expressed.
That’s why if given a chance, he would like to face Brooks again inside the Circle. This time around, he will ramp up his training intensity to avenge his previous loss.
“There will be major adjustments to the preparation because I’ve already tested his power. I’ve felt, and I’ve learned his real game during our fight,” Adiwang said. “So, I will devote myself to prepare for the rematch if it happens and establish my keys to victory.”
Before his wish happens, however, he must overcome fellow Filipino Jeremy “The Jaguar” Miado at ONE X on 26 March first. He plans to win that clash to get Brooks’ attention and set their rematch into motion.
“I’m hoping that I’ll deliver and get the victory [over Miado]. After this fight, I will try to chase Jarred Brooks for that rematch. For now, I’d like that to happen more than fighting for the [strawweight] belt because a lot of people doubted me and looked down on me after that fight,” the warrior with a 13-4 career mixed martial arts record shared.
“Once I win, then I’ll prove the doubters wrong. But once I lose, I’ll accept my limitations. However, I’ll make sure that I will win the second time around.”
Download the ONE Super App to stay updated on the latest news about ONE: LIGHTS OUT, happening on 11 March, and ONE X on 26 March.
Fight Game Asia 