Filipino female kickboxer Krisna Limbaga seeks to defy odds by translating her in-ring accomplishment to the ONE Championship cage as she makes her professional debut on Friday, February 23.
In her first appearance as a ONE Championship athlete, Limbaga squares off with Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol of Indonesia in a three-round atomweight contest at ONE: Quest for Gold, which takes place at the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar.
Owning an impressive record of 35-5 in Muay Thai, Limbaga is now ready to carry over her wealth of combat experience and exceptional skills to the ultimate proving grounds of martial arts.
“I am very excited and little bit nervous for this upcoming bout,” she said. “This is my debut match as a pro and in ONE Championship. Everybody knows ONE Championship is a big event that draws huge audiences.
“I am training very hard for my bout to get the victory.”
The challenge of entering the mixed martial arts world seems to be inevitable for Limbaga, who is always looking to improve as a competitor and as a person.
“It’s an honor to represent the Philippines and to showcase my skills inside the cage,” she stated.
“I’m getting better, getting stronger and learning more as day goes by.”
In deep training for her cage encounter with Gaol, the 28-year-old resident of Marikina City, Metro Manila is focused on learning all the disciplines that are necessary in her new martial arts journey.
“My training camp is progressing very well. I’ve had to learn how to mix up the different martial arts and how to put it all together into cohesive movements and strategies,” Limbaga shared about her training.
While Limbaga pins her hopes on a triumphant transition to mixed martial arts, her Indonesian opponent seeks the spoil the party by furnishing a statement win over the Filipina striker.
Gaol is an Indonesian national Wushu champion who has trained in various striking disciplines such as kickboxing and Wushu.
Limbaga is well aware of the problems that she can present in the stand-up aspect of the match against Gaol and fully intends to maximize those strengths.
“I’m expecting a good challenge. She is a strong warrior. I am preparing a solid defense against her, but of course, I am mixing in some offense as well,” she explained.
“I am not sure if she will expect that I will add a twist to my game.
“For this match, I think the strategy will flow once I am in the cage. I will just do my best to get the win, but also provide an exciting bout for the audience to enjoy,” Limbaga added.
Knowing that she has a future in the sport, Limbaga believes that a win over Gaol will lead her to the big names of ONE Championship’s 52.2-kilogram weight class.
“I want to be the best and to show the best that I can offer. Fighting is my life, and I love competing. A victory means that I’ll be facing tougher opponents in the future. I’m hungry for success.”
