Jean Claude Saclag left the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games with a silver medal and, more importantly, a clearer understanding of what he needs to address in his MMA game.
The fighter from Baguio City came within one win of the men’s traditional -65kg gold medal but was stopped by Tajikistan’s Otabek Rajabov in the championship bout.
Saclag had reached the final after earning a unanimous-decision victory over Japan’s Daisuke Murayama in the semifinals.
While proud of making the title fight, Saclag admitted that the result was difficult to accept, particularly because he felt he could have performed better.
“Sayang talaga. Gusto ko talagang makakuha ng gold. Nag-expect ako na kaya kong mag-gold. Malungkot ako, hindi lang dahil natalo ako, kundi dahil sa performance ko,” Saclag said.
Saclag struggled once Rajabov was able to bring the fight to the mat.
“Akala ko nag-improve na ako, pero grabe ang higpit niya sa baba. Gusto kong tumayo para makabalik sa laban, pero hindi niya talaga ako pinatayo,” he said.
Rajabov even acknowledged Saclag’s punching power when the two fighters shook hands after the bout, a moment that stuck with the Filipino despite the defeat.
The medal also carried added significance for Saclag, who previously won silver in wushu at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. More than a decade later, he entered Nagoya hoping to finally move up to the top step of the podium.
(C) POC Media Group
“Sinabi ko sa sarili ko na ito na ’yung pagkakataon kong mag-gold, kasi noong 2014, natalo rin ako sa finals sa wushu,” Saclag said.
Saclag believes his experience in wushu sanda and kickboxing provided a solid foundation for his move into MMA. Training with Team Lakay in Baguio also helped make the transition more natural.
However, his Asian Games campaign underscored the need to further develop his skills on the ground.
“Hindi naman ako nahirapan sa transition, kasi iyon naman ang background ng team namin sa Baguio. Pero na-realize ko na malayo pa ang kailangan kong i-improve sa ground game,” said Saclag, who turns 32 in a few days.
Saclag also pointed to his own decisions during the final as another area for improvement. He entered the bout intending to maximize his striking, keep his distance, and avoid being taken down. But after the opening round, he felt he became too eager to press the advantage.
“Expected ko na ’yung ganung laban. Ang game plan sana, strike, strike, tapos iwas. Hindi ako magpa-takedown. Pero noong second round, siguro nagmadali ako dahil akala ko nakuha ko na ’yung first round,” Saclag said.
The defeat has not diminished his appreciation for the tournament. Instead, Saclag intends to use the experience as fuel for the next stage of his career.
“Gagamitin ko itong sakit para mag-improve pa. Kailangan ko pang husayan ang ground game ko,” he said.
Saclag plans to spend the next two to three months concentrating on his ground skills as he awaits his next assignment in ONE Championship. But for now, he takes home a second Asian Games silver medal and the lessons from a championship bout that showed him exactly where he needs to improve.
“Sayang, pero thankful pa rin ako. Nakarating tayo sa finals at safe pa ako,” he said.
