Team Lakay Mark Sangiao sees a bright future for his new ward Jenelyn Olsim who logged a surprise submission victory over Miara Mazar and a rousing debut in the ONE Championship last Friday in the Fist of Fury 3 in Singapore.
“She just won over the number five ranked in the strawweight division in her debut fight, this is monumental and she just earned her ticket to (a) stored future in ONE Championship,” Sangiao told the RNG Luzon in a private message on Saturday.
Sangiao was confident that his new prized find could deliver in her debut fight against a veteran fighter who has a knock for striking due to her wushu sanda background, and of course, Brazilian jiujitsu, the fighting style of her homeland.
When asked if Olsim would make it, the former wushu sanda gold medalist in the 2001 Southeast Asian Games and former Philippine wushu sanda coach answered: “Definitely.”
The Team Lakay top man said: “I observed her train, her mind set, her attitude, her coachability.”
He added: “They were in place and these were the factors that made me believe she’d bring the bacon home.”
Olsim arrived in the biggest mixed martial arts stage with a bang as she dominated the fifth ranked Mazar at the Singapore Indoor Stadium from the onset.
The 23-year old Baguio lass of Bokod, Benguet roots, who wowed the audience and made ONE executives happy that they elevated her from the ONE Warrior Series to the main act, ruled the first and second round. Then she dropped the bomb on the Evolve fighter in the third with a guillotine choke and improved to four wins and two defeats and first victory with the famed Baguio/La Trinidad, Benguet based squad.
On her Facebook wall, Olsim thanked all her supporters. “I am so happy and grateful to everyone. Thank you for all your support,” she wrote.
“I am blessed to have everyone around,” she added referring to her team, Team Lakay, Lakay, coach Mark Sangiao, my teammates, trainers, my family, her town of Bokod, her province of Benguet, and Baguio City as well as the Muaythai Association of the Philippines and ONE Championship.
She also thanked Maira Mazar, “for bringing out the best of me. You were a beast in the cage and I’m sure you’ll come back stronger.”
The SEAG silver medalist for muay thai added: “Focus. Love what you do. Give your best in everything. Pursue your dreams and make it happen.”
