Dave Bangguigui had his first taste of glory on the international stage of mixed martial arts last April when he delivered a scintillating performance to kick off his run on the main roster of ONE Championship.
The 26-year-old prospect from La Trinidad, Benguet, relied on his wrestling-heavy offense to secure a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Brazilian veteran Marcus Paulo Amaral in a strawweight clash on the undercard of ONE Friday Fights 14.
It was a memorable night that Bangguigui never thought would come as the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe in 2020, casting uncertainty over his professional career.
At the time, Bangguigui was coming off a solid 2019 campaign, winning his two bouts under Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series by a finish.
With two impressive performances behind him, a call-up seemed inevitable. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. As the world came to a virtual standstill, so did the momentum he had built in his quest to step into one of the sport’s ultimate proving grounds.
During his time away from action, Bangguigui had to resort to odd jobs to make ends meet. However, giving up on his lifelong dream never crossed his mind.
(C) ONEFC.com
“I didn’t give up at all because being a fighter is my dream. I just had to do everything in my power to finally make it despite the adversity,” he told Tiebreaker Times.
“There’s a saying here in the Philippines, ‘If you really want it, there’s a way.’”
Despite being sidelined by the global health crisis, he remained a highly sought-after prospect in the eyes of coaches and managers from renowned stables across the country.
Amidst the generous offers, Bangguigui chose to stay with Fight Corps MMA and continue representing the team, showing gratitude to the group that gave him his first break as a mixed martial artist back in 2015.
“I did receive offers to join other teams, and they even guaranteed me fights and other things. Some even questioned why I didn’t join another team in Benguet. It would have been easy to do that, but for me, I can’t just abandon the ones who helped shape me,” he shared.
“From the very first day I entered their gym, they taught me everything I know about martial arts. I am too loyal to them.”
When ONE Championship presented an opportunity for him to step into the ring once more, Bangguigui made sure that Fight Corps MMA’s insignia was prominently displayed on his uniform as he faced Amaral in front of a capacity crowd at the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
While no one knew for sure what to expect from his return after a four-year layoff, no one could have predicted what transpired.
“Kintas” executed takedowns in all three rounds and looked comfortable unleashing heavy ground strikes against Amaral, who turned out to be a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
By doing so, he dispelled any talks of ring rust and proved that he is still a force to be reckoned with.
(C) ONEFC.com
“I’m very happy with my performance because even though he’s a veteran and a black belt, I was able to hang in there with him. I’m satisfied,” Bangguigui said.
“After the fight, that’s when it really sunk in that I had indeed won.”
Bangguigui is now back in training, working with head coach Nicho Tabora and the rest of his dedicated teammates at Fight Corps MMA.
Moreover, he is well aware that the competition will only get tougher as he climbs the ladder in a talent-rich weight class, which includes division kingpin Jarred Brooks, Joshua Pacio, Jeremy Miado, Lito Adiwang, and Bokang Masunyane.
“I need to work on everything. My striking, grappling, and ground fighting might be okay for now, but it needs to be better. I can’t just focus on one aspect of the fight. I have to be well-rounded,” he stated.
Bangguigui may be nowhere near the strawweight elite for now, but he’s willing to square off against anyone and continue building his resume in ONE Championship.
“My dream is to become the strawweight champion. I know that the climb won’t be easy, especially since the division is extremely stacked. But that’s what I’m here for—the challenge. Whoever they give me though, I’ll be ready to give it my all,” he declared.
