Paul “The Great King” Lumihi. ( Courtesy of ONE Championship)
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ndonesian mixed martial arts star Paul “The Great King” Lumihi has made a huge sacrifice ahead of his bout at ONE: WINTER WARRIORS II on Dec. 17, but he believes it’s a necessary step to elevate his name on the global stage.
The 33-year-old native of Manado, North Sulawesi has dedicated his time to training in the SOMA Fight Club Bali, knowing that he would miss the birth of his youngest child.
Paul will face teenage phenom Jhanlo Mark “The Machine” Sangiao in a ‘break it or make it’ fight, and he knows he needs to do everything in his power to secure a huge victory in ONE Championship and provide for his family.
“To prepare for this fight, I have taken great risks. For Jhanlo, he is fighting for his pride and his father’s [pride], but I am fighting for my family’s pride, much greater than the pride Jhanlo is fighting for. That is why I feel this is a very important fight and I will win because I left my family, my wife, and children to prepare myself in Bali for over two months to win this fight. That’s why this fight is very crucial,” says the former OnePride MMA champion.
Paul Lumihi training in Soma Fight Club Bali. ( Courtesy of ONE Championship/.)
“This feels emotional because when I was about to leave for fight preparation, my wife was pregnant [in the final trimester] and about to give birth. And it happened, during my preparation in Bali – my wife gave birth to my youngest son, and I was not at her side, only communicating through telephone or video call. It was very heavy for me because I had to make a sacrifice by leaving my wife and children in a situation like that to prepare for a fight in Bali. That is why I feel the urgency [to win] this fight,” he added.
The 19-year-old Jhanlo will make his highly anticipated debut in ONE. As the son of Filipino martial arts legend Mark Sangiao, he wishes to continue his father’s legacy and make a name for himself by defeating a veteran.
Paul knows exactly what’s at stake. He’s seeking to earn his first victory on ONE’s global stage and bring pride to his country. Playing a spoiler against a highly regarded debutant would be an ideal scenario to redeem himself.
“I think that everyone is paying attention to Jhanlo because his father is a former champion and the [head] coach of Team Lakay. However, that does not affect my ability to fight. I might be an underdog this time, but I will prove that what Jhanlo has to offer will bite back [at him], and this time, I will be the winner,” says Paul.
“Honestly, I am not angry, as this is all about business. Also, I am not angry because I know that Jhanlo is very young, very talented, and he is the son of a champion. So, it would be alright if they pay more attention to Jhanlo than Paul Lumihi. But to be angry, I don’t think I am because, again, this is all about business – so there is no personal feeling on Paul Lumihi versus Jhanlo,” he adds.
While Paul might have more experience compared to Jhanlo, he has done his homework to study his upcoming adversary’s strengths and weaknesses. And he is prepared for any attack coming his way.
“What I need to be cautious about are Jhanlo’s ground fighting skills because I have seen several of his fight videos, all in ground fighting, so that is what I need to be cautious of. It is also why I am training to improve and sharpen my ground fighting so that when I meet Jhanlo, this will be an exciting fight – be it on the ground or striking,” Paul explains.
“I also know that Jhanlo and Team Lakay have a strong background in wushu. I have thought about that, but what I have seen from all of his fights, each was won through ground fighting, and he had also learned the ground game since very young, since he was a little boy. That is why I think he specializes in ground fighting,” he continues.
Despite the hype surrounding his opponent, Paul knows what he is capable of. Whether it’s exchanging strikes on the feet or fighting on the ground, he is more than prepared.
“Honestly, in four of my previous fights where I lost in ONE Championship, all of them were against great fighters. So, when I was scheduled to meet Jhanlo, it was not that I underestimated him, but this is my chance to win. That is why I took this fight with Jhanlo, with big hopes that I will win.
“My prediction, as always, is that I will win this fight with a finish, or KO, in round two,” he adds confidently.
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This article is in collaboration with ONE Championship.