FIFTH-ranked ONE Championship bantamweight MMA contender Jeremy “The Juggernaut” Pacatiw is going to have his hands full when he shoots for his third straight win in the promotion this weekend.
Pacatiw will certainly be tested when he takes on fourth-ranked Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu in a clash of contenders at ONE Fight Night 29: Rodrigues vs. McManamon on Saturday, March 8, inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
READ: Jeremy Pacatiw takes shot at 'Filipino Killer' Enkh-Orgil
The Lions Nation MMA standout compared the Mongolian to a machine because of his ability to keep going regardless of what happens in a fight.
“He’s a grinder, he’s tough, he’s got excellent endurance, and he just keeps pushing forward, and those are the things that I’m looking out for entering this fight,” he said.
“At 36 years old, he’s like a machine. He’ll try to outwork you as much as he can.”
While he praised Baatarkhuu’s mental fortitude, he knows it’s that same fortitude that he’ll have to break if he wants to get this crucial win and become the first Filipino to beat him.
“He has a strong mind and it’s up to me to break that mentality,” Pacatiw said.
“I’m out to break his streak against Filipinos. He’s been tormenting Filipinos for a long time, so I have to make sure I won’t fall victim to it.”
Pacatiw knows that it’s going to be a battle of mental attrition between the two of them. In fact, for him to break Baatarkhuu’s mind, he’s going to have to be mentally tougher and not get frustrated when things get hard.
And it will get hard. It’s all a matter of staying the track regardless of how hard it gets.
“My composure will be tested for sure. To handle his toughness, I have to stay calm and focused. Once I connect, I have to stay in the game and not get frustrated if he comes back, recovers, and pressures me on the counter,” he said.
“So it’s all about staying strong, staying focused, and staying confident that I can break him no matter how hard he tries to get back in the fight.”
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