Jeremy Miado has faced numerous challenges throughout his mixed martial arts career, but none have been as frustrating and demoralizing as the weigh-in mishap he encountered in October 2022.
“The Jaguar” went two pounds over the 125-pound limit in his strawweight bout against No. 5-ranked contender Danial Williams on the preliminary card of ONE Fight Night 3.
The aforementioned clash proceeded as a catchweight contest, in which Miado prevailed over Williams by way of a third-round technical knockout, extending his remarkable winning streak to four matches, along with four straight finishes.
Miado may have walked away with the rousing victory, but his blunder on the scales prevented him from relishing its full benefits—a spot in the division’s Top Five rankings and a potential $50,000 performance bonus.
Rather than dwelling on the disappointment, he is determined to make amends and prove his worth once more.
The 30-year-old Albay native is set to return to action on the undercard of ONE Fight Night 11, taking place at the fabled Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on the morning of June 10.
His next assignment will see him square off with an unbeaten Russian standout in the form of Mansur Malachiev, who holds a pristine professional record of 10-0, with five victories by submission and three via knockout.
Miado cannot deny that he finds himself in a tough matchup, but what concerns him the most is the standard pre-fight clearance that he needs to pass to get the green light to compete.
“I’m more worried about the hydration test and weigh-ins, for sure. If I don’t pass there, I am not fighting at all,” he told Tiebreaker Times.
“I’m a little anxious about the fight, but I’m leaning more towards excitement than anything because that’s when I get to showcase my new skills and find out what else I lack to excel in the sport.”
ONE Championship implements a one-of-a-kind system focused on athlete safety by introducing “walking weight” competition through multiple weigh-ins and hydration tests before and during fight week.
To avoid the same misfortune, Miado intends to follow the friendly tip given to him by current ONE bantamweight champion Fabricio Andrade.
(C) ONEFC.com
“The only person I talked about it with was Fabricio Andrade when we fought on the same card last October. When he found out that I struggled with hydration and weight, he advised me on how to do it properly next time,” the Filipino hard-hitter stated.
“His advice was more on the time when I should be hydrating and when to sweat it out a little ahead of the weigh-ins itself. Probably a week before the fight or even before the weigh-ins, I’ll give it a shot and whether it works out for me or not.”
Instead of obsessing over the contracted weight, Miado chooses to invest all his focus on obtaining the right nutrition for what could be a grueling three-round encounter versus Malachiev.
“Right now, I just really need to eat a lot before training to avoid injury while giving me enough strength during my sessions. I’m more prone to injury, and I perform worse if I don’t eat enough before a long day of training,” he shared.
“Regarding food, I’ve not been holding back on it because I’m around 130 pounds right now. I only need a week to drop my weight by about five pounds. I’m more concerned about my hydration levels.”
The days leading to ONE Fight Night 11 will surely be eventful for Miado, but he is not letting it shake his confidence.
“My entire career has been founded on discipline. I’m pretty confident that I will be able to get over this hump before the fight and then perform to the best of my ability on fight day.”
