Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Tiebreaker Times

Mixed Martial Arts

Women’s Mixed Martial Arts on the rise but work needs to be done, says Iniong


Women’s mixed martial arts is on the rise from all parts of the world, but its development in the Philippines seems to be slowing down — at least in comparison to its male counterparts.

At the moment, only four homegrown Filipinas are actively competing in the ONE Championship main roster in Gina “Conviction” Iniong, Jomary “The Zamboanginian Fighter” Torres, Angelie “D Explorer” Sabanal, and Denice “The Menace Fairtex” Zamboanga.

And while these four have shown that they can hang with the world’s best, discovering local athletes to follow their footsteps has been pretty hard.

For Team Lakay’s world-renowned head coach Mark Sangiao, that is certainly the next step in the growing mixed martial arts scene in the Philippines.

“The long term goal for us now is getting more athletes in the women’s division,” Sangiao said.

“That is the plan. We hope to get more women’s athletes involved in the sport, and maybe one day produce a World Champion in the women’s division.”

Even Team Lakay, despite all the talents they’ve produced and all the World Titles they have snagged, still struggles to find quality sparring partners for Iniong for her match against Asha “Knockout Queen” Roka next week at ONE: Fire and Fury

The team continues to work hard at honing young athletes to follow Iniong’s footsteps; still, “Conviction” admits that some are still either fairly raw or too young.

“Right now we’re preparing some athletes to follow my footsteps. It’s all about making sure that they’re well-equipped when they step into mixed martial arts. Others are still fairly young.”

So at times, Iniong and her team have to adjust during training camp, including tapping her male teammates like Estrada Dong-As and Scooby Coquia Jr. as her training partners.

#ReadMore  Bagunas, Espejo on flurry of PVL transactions: 'Sana all'

“In training, sometimes I spar with men and I’m getting used to facing stronger athletes,” Iniong said.

“Coach Mark has always told me that it’s better to struggle in training than in the actual fight, so that’s why he asked me to start getting used to it.”

For Catalan Fighting System head coach and ONE Strawweight World Title contender Rene “The Challenger” Catalan, there is a simple reason why the women’s division is not thriving as much as their male counterparts.

He explains that it all goes down to the difference of when they start. While men start at a fairly young age, women martial artists start a bit later on in their lives.

“I believe women’s MMA in the Philippines is evolving. It’s just harder to produce female athletes,” Catalan said.

“I think the ladies start MMA later than men. Early on they’re not that decided to pursue it, unlike our male athletes who are exposed to martial arts in ages as low as four,” he added.

Many women have now become interested in mixed martial arts all over the country. Still, Iniong quipped that finding the right team and the right coach will be critical for their development.

Not many can say that they have a Sangiao, or a Catalan in their corner who would really push them to their limits and be their mentor in this sport.

Iniong was lucky to have one, and she hopes that those who want to pursue a career in this find the camp that they can truly call her own.

#ReadMore  Edward Kelly, Christian Lee get chance to settle the score

“For me, there are a lot of ladies who are into mixed martial arts, but they haven’t found the right coach and the right gym to train them, and that’s why they struggle to push their way up,” Iniong stated.

And so the 30-year-old Filipina urges her fellow Pinays to keep on pushing, and they will see the reward.

“You just have to keep on pursuing your goals. Just keep going,” Iniong advised.

“You’ll get rewarded with proper training, good-sized confidence in yourself and of course, faith in God.”

Gina Iniong’s quest in the ONE Women’s Atomweight division continues at ONE: FIRE & FURY when she battles Asha Roka on January 31 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.

Watch the event live and dine with your ONE Championship heroes in the ‘Boodle Feast VIP package,’ which includes two tickets for the event and access for two to the Boodle Feast on 29 January at the City of Dreams.

Written By


You May Also Like

Mixed Martial Arts

Carlo “The Bull” Bumina-ang started the year on a high note, making a significant statement with a resounding first-round victory at ONE Friday Fights...

Mixed Martial Arts

Team Lakay looks to kick off its 2024 campaign on the global stage with Filipino prospect Carlo Bumina-ang leading the charge. The 29-year-old Baguio...

Mixed Martial Arts

The Team Lakay exodus continued into the new year. Nine days into 2024, Stephen Loman, the no. 2-ranked bantamweight in ONE Championship, has announced...

Mixed Martial Arts

Filipino mixed martial artists Carlo Bumina-ang and Fritz Biagtan experienced divergent fates on the undercard of ONE Friday Fights 44 tonight. Determined to continue...

Mixed Martial Arts

For Carlo Bumina-ang, the need for redemption has become a rallying cry as he gears up for his next assignment. The 29-year-old Baguio City...

Mixed Martial Arts

In the wake of the recent setbacks faced by Carlos Alvarez and Dave Bangguigui on the ONE Friday Fights stage, Philippine MMA is gearing...

Mixed Martial Arts

Filipino mixed martial artists Carlos Alvarez and Dave Bangguigui faced litmus tests on the undercard of tonight’s ONE Friday Fights 43, both suffering defeats...

Mixed Martial Arts

Carlos Alvarez, a blue-chip prospect from Team Lakay, stands on the brink of securing a permanent spot on the main roster of ONE Championship....

Advertisement