STRAWWEIGHT MMA standout Lito 'Thunder Kid' Adiwang is guaranteeing to give it his all this year.
The pride of Baguio City had a memorable end to 2023 after coming back from an ACL injury to score a thunderous knockout win over Adrian Mattheis. Then he evened the score with Jeremy Miado just before the year came to a close.
Adiwang rides momentum
With momentum behind him, Adiwang vowed to make the most of what he feels like a second lease in his chosen sport in ONE Championship.
“This is what I do best. This is my career, my life. I didn’t finish my studies. I have no other businesses. All my life I’ve been building this career, so why give up now?” he said, sharing how at one point last year he felt like his career was over.
“So, I kept chasing my dream. I kept working, recovering. Now let’s see how far I’ll end up, but I’ll fight for my dream and now I’m getting back.”
One thing he did to refocus on his craft was move from the Philippines to Bali, Indonesia.
While he was already training abroad for his return, he was still going back and forth to the Philippines, but this time Adiwang plans to maximize his time abroad.
Bali move for Adiwang
“I’m gonna give it my all. I’m moving to Bali. I’ve decided to stay there and really represent Soma [Fight Club]. I’ll be camping with them, I’ll be training with them. All my preparation will be with them,” he said.
“I can’t promise a championship, but what I can promise is everytime I fight, I’ll be giving my all. Fans can also expect me to not just chase victories, but look to entertain as well.”
Adiwang knows it’s not going to be easy, but his chosen path has big-time benefits for his career should he power through homesickness.
Thankfully, that’s exactly what Adiwang is good at.
“Sure, it’s tough, especially when you’re new to the team. You adjust to the team, you adjust to their training system. But if you get past it, it’s smooth sailing,” he said.
“The positive thing about it is you get to be out of your comfort zone. You meet new athletes, you talk to different coaches, international coaches, expert strikers, wrestlers, and grapplers. Those are the positive things that I’m taking.”
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