Jean Claude Saclag shone bright light like a diamond in his first assignment on the global stage of mixed martial arts.
The 29-year-old native of Lubuagan, Kalinga made quick work of South Korea’s Lee Jun Young in a flyweight bout on the undercard of ONE Friday Fights 78, which took place at the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand tonight.
A bemedalled kickboxer and wushu sanda practitioner, Saclag wasted no time asserting his dominance. From the moment the first bell rang, he let loose a flurry of strikes that visibly rattled Lee.
“The Dynamite” lived up to his moniker, delivering powerful blows that made his ring counterpart wince in pain.
As Lee tried to meet Saclag head-on in a fierce exchange, it only played into the Filipino dynamo’s hands. He responded with a thunderous overhand right, sending his South Korean opponent crashing to the canvas.
Though Lee bravely attempted to return to his feet, Saclag was relentless. A barrage of left and right punches met him as soon as he tried to stand, forcing him to fall again.
This time, Saclag left no room for a comeback. He unleashed a final series of strikes that left referee Mohamad Sulaiman with no choice but to stop the contest just 1:34 into the first round.
With this stunning performance, Saclag improved his professional record to 3-1 and made an emphatic statement in his promotional debut.
Meanwhile, Lee Jun Young dropped to 5-2, a bitter defeat that underscored Saclag’s rise as a must-watch competitor under the ONE Friday Fights banner in the weeks to come.