The radiant lights of the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand are about to shine bright for a highly touted Filipino-American athlete with an unyielding passion for Muay Thai.
Sean Climaco is set to make his ONE Championship debut this May 4, as part of the supporting card of ONE Fight Night 22. There, he squares off with Mexico’s Josue Cruz in a three-round flyweight bout.
This opportunity marks a significant milestone for the 29-year-old San Jose, California native, who has long been honing his craft in the local Muay Thai circuit, earning a reputation as one of the Bay Area’s most promising strikers.
“This is a dream come true. I didn’t think I’d end up here a couple of years ago,” he told Tiebreaker Times.
Climaco’s breakthrough came when he emerged victorious in the “Road to ONE: America” tournament hosted by the Warriors Cup Muay Thai outfit in New York last year.
During the intense competition, he knocked out all three of his opponents, leading him to land a guaranteed contract with the Singapore-based promotion.
Reflecting on his journey, the Smash Gyms Milpitas product acknowledges the sacrifices and challenges he faced along the way.
“I think we all know the Filipino stereotype is to become a nurse. That’s what my mom wanted me to be. I tried, but at least I tried,” he shared.
To support his professional career, Climaco took on various odd jobs to sustain himself financially.
“I had my retail job for nine years while training and becoming a pro at the same time. And then finally, after I had five to six pro fights, I decided to go as far as I could with it, not just something on the side to do because I love fighting,” he recalled.
“Now, I’m making a career of it, taking it all seriously, just going to the gym training.”
Born to Cebuano parents who immigrated to the United States, his roots in martial arts run deep.
Introduced to the discipline by his father at a young age, he and his brother, Mark, embraced it as more than just a sport but as a way of life.
“Martial arts has always been there for me, an outlet whenever I’m feeling down or stressed about something, I would just train, whether it be hitting the bag, going to sparring, running even, just using it as fuel whenever I’m feeling out of there,” Climaco stated.
“It’s like I’m having the best time doing it.”
However, Climaco embarked on a path full of twists and turns, especially considering that Muay Thai has yet to gain the same level of mainstream appeal as boxing and mixed martial arts in America.
Fortunately, he found a gateway to take himself to the next level.
“I believe [Muay Thai] is definitely getting a lot bigger because of ONE. If you look at it, ONE is bigger in Asia, but now that they are with Amazon Prime, we have two more big shows here. ONE is also starting to grow,” he said.
“It means a lot. The timing couldn’t be any better. Right now, it’s just right there. I think it’s going to get bigger. It’s up there with the UFC.”
Now, with a chance to shine in front of a much wider audience, Climaco is focused and determined to leave his mark.
He aims to follow in the footsteps of other Filipino-American fighters who have found relative success under the organization’s banner.
“I’m ready to represent the Filipino-Americans, for sure,” he declared.
Looking ahead, Climaco envisions himself sharing the stage with the division’s best, including the likes of Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Superlek Kiatmoo9.
“We’ll see where each fight goes, but I’m just taking it one bout at a time,” he ended.
