Jenelyn Olsim is embracing a new chapter in her professional mixed martial arts career as she aligns herself with the star-studded Lions Nation MMA stable.
The 26-year-old heroine from Bokod, Benguet, personally confirmed the news to Tiebreaker Times following the inauguration of the Olsim-Dasdas Martial Arts Gym in her hometown on Saturday, July 15. She revealed the training center’s affiliation with the newly-established group.
“I’m now a member of Lions Nation MMA,” she said in an exclusive interview. “I believe in Lions Nation MMA’s idea of empowering everyone to become leaders, and that is exactly what I am striving for right now.”
Lions Nation MMA emerged from the roots of Team Lakay, one of the most renowned camps in Asia, as Eduard Folayang, Joshua Pacio, Kevin Belingon, and Honorio Banario all carved a niche for themselves as world titleholders under the ONE Championship banner.
As time passed, the aforementioned quartet began to explore new avenues while maintaining their bond of brotherhood and shared ambition for success.
In the spirit of unity and fraternity, they decided to form Lions Nation MMA and welcomed former Team Lakay members Edward Kelly and Jeremy Pacatiw into their ranks.
This time around, the group opened their doors for Olsim, who represented Team Lakay in five fights from March 2021 to December 2022.
Olsim is pleased with the warm welcome she received from her seniors at Lions Nation MMA.
“I truly felt like I belong to the team. They regard me as their junior, not just a team member,” she shared.
Moreover, “The Graceful Igorot” feels that she is in good hands with Folayang and company to continue her career.
“I’m 100 percent confident, and I have a lot of faith in my teammates. I believe they will help me grow even more,” she stated.
With Olsim joining Lions Nation MMA, it also comes with the assurance that her exit from Team Lakay was amicable and filled with mutual respect.
“When I informed [Team Lakay] coach Mark [Sangiao] about my decision, he accepted it wholeheartedly. He even gave advice now that I run my own gym,” she divulged.
“I greatly appreciate Coach Mark’s guidance, especially when I was still there.”
With the fresh start, Olsim finds herself brimming with excitement to don Lions Nation MMA’s signature gold and black colors inside the ONE Circle.
Though the date for her next bout is yet to be announced, she now focuses on managing the gym she co-owns with her older brother, Jerry.
In fact, the Olsim-Dasdas Martial Arts Gym became the first affiliate facility of Lions Nations MMA outside of its home base in La Trinidad, Benguet.
For Olsim, this development was met with a mixture of disbelief and elation.
“I am grateful to Champ Eduard for giving us this privilege,” she mentioned. “I can’t say we were just lucky because we also worked hard for it. It’s really a blessing from God.”
Olsim is in the midst of rigorous training, eagerly waiting for the call to strap on a pair of four-ounce gloves once more.
She has an overall record of 6-4. In her last outing last December, she sustained a 24-second knockout loss at the hands of Meng Bo in a catchweight contest.
With her sights set on redemption, Olsim has identified one opponent she wishes to face—Jihin Radzuan.
“They’re offering me a fight against Jihin Radzuan. We have some unfinished business. We were supposed to face each other before, but our fight got canceled twice. So I want her next,” she declared.
