Led by Joshua Pacio and Lito Adiwang, young stars carrying Team Lakay

Lito Adiwang and Joshua Pacio. ONE CHAMPIONSHIP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Team Lakay is entering its new era in ONE Championship with the stable’s younger stars now taking in the responsibility of carrying the group in the promotion.

The Baguio stable was always placed on the backs of Eduard Folayang, Kevin Belingon, Geje Eustaquio, and Honorio Banario, but now it’s the younger fighters’ turn to carry the burden of it with ONE strawweight champion Joshua Pacio and challenger Lito Adiwang leading the pack.

There’s also strawweight contender Lito Adiwang and now atomwweight entrant Jenelyn Olsim.

Team Lakay head coach Mark Sangiao expressed his pride with how his younger fighters have taken charge and getting into important bouts in the promotion.

Adiwang has won nine of his past 10 fights and he’s set to welcome UFC veteran Jarred Brooks on November 26 at ONE: NEXTGEN II.

“Of course, we need to keep on advancing non-stop to yield positive outcomes every time our athletes perform,” said Sangiao.

“This will be a significant test for Lito and if we can see Lito emerge as the winner of this bout, then we know Lito is here to stay and he’s up for something much greater. We see every match as a new opportunity and a stepping stone for our athletes.”

Adiwang (13-3) holds a 7-1 record in ONE Championship and his only loss was close split decision result to Koha Minowa, a contest that the Thunder Kid has always disputed.

Pacio, meanwhile, retained his ONE Championship strap in a stellar victory over Yosuke Saruta last September.

Nevertheless, the man who has 11 finishes in his career is one of the stable’s brightest stars and Sangiao is familiar with the position and pressure his student is in.

“That pressure is good and he should welcome it and enjoy it,” said Sangiao. “We’re no strangers to pressure and it’s not something that we take negatively. If ever there is, then it’s the reason why we have our training to absorb it. If you feel pressured, then you train and train so that you can improve.”