Jhanlo Mark Sangiao Returns With Victory After Two-Year Absence

Team Lakay's Jhanlo Mark Sangiao ended a nearly two-year layoff with a third-round rear-naked choke submission victory over his Mongolian opponent Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg in the opening bout of ONE Fight Night 33 at Bangkok's Lumpinee Stadium on July 12.

The 22-year-old Filipino star's return marked his first competition since suffering a submission loss to Mongolian grappler Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu in August 2023. The victory against another Mongolian fighter provided redemption for his previous defeat.Sangiao's absence coincided with significant life changes, including becoming a father for the first time. The personal milestone contributed to his mental preparation for the comeback fight.

"It felt amazing, I'm back to the winning game, and I'm planning to keep it that way," Sangiao said.

The Filipino fighter executed his game plan despite early pressure from his opponent, remaining patient until he secured the decisive takedown that led to the submission finish.

"I expected him to be strong in the first round, and he was, but I still executed the game plan to take him down. I tried to stay composed. I kept doing [takedown] attempts until I got him," he explained.

Sangiao credited his training camp and coaching staff for preparing him mentally and physically for the challenging return to competition.

"It was a tough camp, but I trust my training and my coaches. It made me more resilient and to work harder. The [past] couple of years gave me a lot of lessons in life, in general. I believe those things made me a more mature and tougher person," he said.

The victory positions Sangiao back in the bantamweight division's contender conversation, though he's taking a measured approach to his future booking.

"For now, I am more focused on going back to training and improving myself. I will leave that to ONE Championship," Sangiao said.