After absorbing the first loss of his young career, Team Lakay’s young prodigy Jhanlo Mark Sangiao opened up on what he feels he needs to do to progress and reach the lofty expectations placed on him in the world of mixed martial arts.
The previously unbeaten Sangiao suffered the first loss of his promising career when he was submitted by #4-ranked contender Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu in the second round of their bantamweight clash.
Sangiao was brutally honest in his assessment of his run so far in ONE Championship, noting how that loss was a wake-up call for him.
As talented as he is, he knows that has to come with pure focus and eagerness.
“Honestly, I felt like in my first few fights I was playing around. I felt like I wasn’t mature enough. I was just going through the motions and just merely enjoying the moment,” Sangiao said.
“But then I faced Enkh-Orgil and that fight really reminded me that I can’t just play around.”
The 22-year-old didn’t hold back in critiquing himself, as it comes from knowing exactly how good he can be when fully focused.
Among all the fighters from his stable, it’s Sangiao who’s had the benefit of growing up with the team. Since he was a young boy, martial arts has always been a part of his life and he grew up alongside his father Mark’s Team Lakay.
That’s why it’s no surprise that when “The Machine” finally made his ONE debut, he emerged as one of the squad’s more versatile fighters – a competitor who’s even more dangerous with his submissions and wrestling than his striking.
To reach his potential, Sangiao knows he has to start working now.
“That fight showed me how far I truly am from reaching my goals. I have to add more skills, more techniques, and be more composed. That loss basically made me realize that just when I thought I knew it all, I don’t. There’s a lot to be learned,” Sangiao said.
Asked what’s the biggest thing he feels he needs to work on, Sangiao said that it’s not even in the skills department – it’s his mental fortitude.
“It’s more on mental toughness for me,” he said. “It’s something I lacked against Enkh-Orgil. I have to be mentally tougher, I have to know how to dig deep and push on when I have nothing left.”
