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The Philippines has already produced some of Asian MMA’s most recognizable names, from Eduard Folayang and Kevin Belingon to Joshua Pacio and Lito Adiwang. But the country’s talent pipeline continues to produce fighters capable of making an impact on the international stage.
Team Lakay remains an important part of that development, while promotions such as ONE Championship continue to provide Filipino fighters with a route from the regional scene to the global stage.
Several names now stand out as fighters worth following closely.
Carlo Bumina ang
Carlo “The Bull” Bumina ang is one of the clearest examples of the next generation making its way into ONE Championship.
Bumina ang started MMA relatively late, beginning formal training in 2017 before committing fully to the sport. His development accelerated through ONE Friday Fights, where he won five consecutive bouts and finished four of those opponents. That run earned him a US$100,000 contract with ONE in 2024.
His development has continued on the global stage.
Bumina ang suffered his first ONE defeat against Enkh Orgil Baatarkhuu in 2024, but responded with three consecutive victories in 2025 and 2026. Most recently, he stopped Marcos Aurelio with a second round TKO in January 2026 before scoring another first round knockout against Batochir Batsaikhan in April. ONE currently lists him at 9 – 2 in the promotion, with eight of his nine victories coming by stoppage.
That finishing ability makes Bumina ang one of the more interesting Filipino fighters to follow in ONE’s bantamweight division.
Jhanlo Sangiao
Jhanlo “The Machine” Sangiao carries one of the most recognizable names in Philippine MMA. The son of Team Lakay head coach Mark Sangiao, Jhanlo grew up around some of the country’s most successful fighters and began competing in martial arts at a young age. He won his first four professional MMA bouts before suffering consecutive defeats in ONE.
The 24 year old appeared to have rebuilt his momentum with a submission victory over Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg in 2025.
However, Sangiao suffered another setback against Marcos Aurelio at ONE Fight Night 46 in August 2026, losing by knockout at 57 seconds of the opening round. That result means his next chapter will be particularly important.
Sangiao still has considerable experience for his age and has spent his entire development inside one of the Philippines’ most respected MMA systems. His ability to respond to another setback will be one of the more interesting stories to follow.
Jean Claude Saclag
Jean Claude Saclag represents another part of the Team Lakay pipeline. The Filipino flyweight has already gained valuable experience on the ONE Friday Fights circuit. He scored consecutive victories over Fajar and Marwin Quirante, with the Fajar fight ending by first round TKO after Saclag landed a left hook and followed with ground and pound. That victory moved him to 2 – 0 in ONE at the time.
Saclag subsequently suffered submission defeats against Shazada Ataev and Viet Anh Do, showing the level of competition facing young Filipino fighters on the international stage.
His record is therefore more complicated than that of some of the unbeaten prospects emerging from Asia, but Saclag remains an interesting name because of his finishing ability and experience against international opposition.
Mariane Mariano
The next generation is not limited to the men’s divisions. Mariane “Trigun” Mariano is another Filipino fighter worth monitoring as the country’s women’s MMA scene continues to develop. ONE’s official Philippines roster includes Mariano among its Filipino athletes, alongside established names such as Pacio and newer prospects.
For Filipino MMA, developing more female talent is particularly important because the country’s international profile has traditionally been driven heavily by its men’s divisions. Mariano therefore represents part of a broader opportunity for Philippine MMA to expand its presence across the women’s divisions.
The Team Lakay connection
One common thread running through several of these fighters is Team Lakay.
The Baguio based gym helped establish the Philippines as a major force in Asian MMA, producing multiple ONE world champions over the years. Its traditional wushu foundation created generations of aggressive strikers, but the newer crop has increasingly incorporated wrestling, Brazilian jiu jitsu and more complete MMA systems.
Bumina ang is perhaps the clearest example of that evolution. Mark Sangiao previously described him as evidence that Team Lakay has moved beyond being viewed purely as a striking gym, pointing to his submission victories alongside his knockout wins. That evolution could prove important as Filipino fighters face increasingly well rounded international opponents.
The Philippines still has a strong development pathway
ONE Friday Fights has become particularly important for Filipino fighters looking to break through. The weekly event gives regional fighters an opportunity to compete against athletes from across Asia and beyond before potentially earning a place on ONE’s global roster.
Bumina ang used that pathway to earn his contract, while other Filipino fighters have used the platform to gain international experience. The promotion continues to maintain a large Filipino roster, with names including Carlos Alvarez, Jean Claude Saclag, Carlo Bumina ang and other emerging athletes.
That pipeline means the current generation is not necessarily the end of the story. More Filipino prospects are likely to emerge through regional competition and ONE’s developmental system.
Filipino MMA has another generation waiting
Joshua Pacio remains one of the country’s biggest active MMA stars, and his recent submission victory over Mansur Malachiev showed that the established generation can still perform at the highest level.
But behind Pacio, the Philippines has a group of fighters developing their own identities.
Bumina ang has already demonstrated that he can produce stoppages against international opposition. Sangiao remains a recognizable Team Lakay prospect despite his recent setback, while Saclag has gained valuable experience against fighters from several different countries.
The road to becoming a major international MMA star is rarely straightforward. Some prospects break through immediately, while others require several years of development.
For Filipino MMA, however, the important point is that the talent pipeline remains active.
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