MANILA — Jean Claude Saclag showed his readiness to take on greater challenges after his explosive debut at ONE Friday Fights 78 last week.
“The Dynamite,” a long time standout of the Philippine national team, scored a first round stoppage over Lee Jun Young at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
It was a much-needed victory for Saclag, who admitted that he had some doubts coming into the match after having fallen short in his previous attempt to compete internationally in mixed martial arts.
“I’ve moved on from that first loss against Ryo Okada. Actually, that first loss gave me doubts. My confidence really took a hit. I was [wondering] if I’m really built for the international stage,” said Saclag, referring to a 2019 defeat in MMA.
“Looking at it, it’s a blessing in disguise. That loss pushed me hard to train. I saw my shortcomings, I saw the things that I needed to improve on, especially after seeing the level of my opponents on the international stage. Now I’m happy to see the results,” he added.
Against Lee, the Team Lakay and Samahang Kickboxing ng Pilipinas representative showed off his striking prowess and immediately set the tone with a side kick to the face of his Korean foe.
Saclag soon connected on a booming overhand right before teeing off punches to finish Lee and grab his first win under the ONE Championship banner.
“That was the game plan. Defend the takedown and keep it on the feet and finish him there,” said Saclag. “I don’t think coach Mark (Sangiao) would put me in a position where I’m not ready. My preparation went really well. With how I prepared, I was confident wherever the fight would go.”
“I’m thankful because he decided to stand and trade with me. When I saw that, I knew that I was going to time my shots well and hit the big one,” he added.
