How Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu Powered Himself To A World Title Shot At ONE Fight Night 38
Mongolian bantamweight powerhouse Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu has risen through the ranks in electric fashion en route to his first World Title shot in ONE Championship.
On Friday, December 5, live in U.S. primetime from Bangkok, Thailand, the #4-ranked contender will challenge reigning and undisputed ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade in the headline attraction of ONE Fight Night 38: Andrade vs. Baatarkhuu on Prime Video.
Baatarkhuu’s path leading up to this moment has been absolutely phenomenal. Marked by dramatic finishes and spectacular performances in the world’s largest martial arts organization, the Mongolian star has positioned himself as an absolute force in his division.
And now, before his potentially career-defining moment arrives, let’s take a look at how the Physical: Asia finalist earned his biggest opportunity on the global stage.
A Flawless Introduction
Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu earned his spot in ONE Championship by winning Road to ONE: Mongolia in December 2022.
In the tournament final, the protégé of former ONE Featherweight MMA World Champion Narantungalag “Tungaa” Jadambaa delivered a walk-off knockout of Batochir Batsaikhan to claim the coveted US$100,000 contract.
He made his promotional debut at ONE Friday Fights 13 in April 2023 against ONE Warrior Series Philippines winner Adonis Sevilleno.
In that fight, Baatarkhuu showcased the relentless pressure that would become his trademark, earning a unanimous decision victory over the Team Lakay standout.
Just one month later at ONE Friday Fights 17, he dominated ONE Warrior Series product Rockie Bactol with diverse striking, before finishing the Filipino off with punishing ground-and-pound to score a first-round TKO.
Not long after, Baatarkhuu delivered his biggest statement yet in his U.S. primetime debut at ONE Fight Night 13 against previously undefeated phenom Jhanlo Mark “The Machine” Sangiao.
Despite being dropped twice in round one, Baatarkhuu rallied to rock the Team Lakay prodigy with a crushing elbow before securing a second-round kimura submission.
The stunning upset earned Baatarkhuu a US$50,000 performance bonus and kickstarted his ascent toward the gold.
A Heartbreaking Setback And Last-Second Redemption
With momentum building, Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu faced his toughest test yet when he took on highly regarded opponent Artem Belakh at ONE Fight Night 18 in January 2024. It was a pivotal clash that could have vaulted him into the top five.
The Mongolian star controlled the action for nearly 10 minutes with suffocating top pressure, seemingly on his way to another dominant victory. But Belakh broke free and clocked Baatarkhuu’s chin with a jumping knee, then unleashed a barrage of elbows and punches.
The result was a TKO win for the Russian, with Baatarkhuu suffering his first promotional loss.
Determined to redeem himself, Baatarkhuu returned at ONE Fight Night 24 that same year against another unbeaten Team Lakay star in Carlo “The Bull” Bumina-ang.
Bumina-ang was looking to avenge his fallen teammates, but Baatarkhuu dragged the Filipino through three rounds of hell with smothering clinch work, powerful striking, and endless submission attempts.
With one second remaining in the final round, Baatarkhuu locked up an arm-triangle choke and rendered Bumina-ang unconscious at the 4:59 mark, becoming the first man to beat and finish “The Bull.”
The Explosive Statement That Turned Heads
Fresh off his last-second heroics, Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu made a bold decision for his next outing.
The Mongolian bruiser moved up a weight class to face Aaron “Tommy Gun” Canarte in a featherweight MMA showdown at ONE Fight Night 27 this past January.
After wobbling the Ecuadorian standout with crisp striking, Baatarkhuu secured a takedown and landed in half-guard. He immediately went for an armbar, and when Canarte defended by rolling, the Mongolian smoothly transitioned to his signature kimura and forced the tap midway through the opening frame.
The lightning-fast submission proved a critical point. This wasn’t a grinding victory — it was a clinical dissection that proved Baatarkhuu’s signature move was effective in any weight class.
With back-to-back finishes in hand, the Team Tungaa representative had officially announced himself as a legitimate World Title threat.
The Performance That Sealed The World Title Shot
After his featherweight detour, Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu returned to the bantamweight division at ONE Fight Night 29 this past March with his World Championship goals clear.
Standing in his way was #5-ranked Jeremy “The Juggernaut” Pacatiw, a surging Lions Nation MMA fighter on his own two-fight winning streak.
Baatarkhuu controlled all three rounds with his trademark grappling pressure, neutralizing Pacatiw’s offense and dictating the pace from start to finish. Though “The Juggernaut” defended intelligently, the Mongolian’s relentless pressure and suffocating top game left no doubt and scored him the unanimous decision victory.
The performance cemented his #4 ranking and extended his perfect 5-0 record against Filipino fighters.
Even reigning bantamweight MMA king Andrade took notice, acknowledging Baatarkhuu as a formidable adversary.
On December 5, Baatarkhuu will get his chance to complete the journey. The 36-year-old is just one victory away from following in mentor Narantungalag Jadambaa’s footsteps and etching his name in history as Mongolia’s next ONE World Champion.
