‘He’s The Complete Package’ – Lito Adiwang Expects Big Things From Lakay Stablemate Stephen Loman
Team Lakay strawweight sensation Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang is full of praise and adulation for his stablemate and #4-ranked bantamweight MMA contender Stephen “The Sniper” Loman.
The 29-year-old has trained extensively with Loman and believes his fellow Filipino can reach incredible heights in ONE Championship.
Adiwang said:
“[I’m] really excited for his future. We’ve seen how strong he is, his entire arsenal. I’m excited because he’s good at a lot of things. He’s not only a striker, he can roll in the ground, he can wrestle, he’s the complete package.”
Loman joined ONE in December 2021 after winning a collection of regional titles and emerging as one of the fastest-rising bantamweights in the world.
He then debuted with a scintillating first-round knockout of previously ranked contender Yusup Saadulaev at ONE: WINTER WARRIORS II and followed that victory with a comprehensive unanimous decision against highly regarded veteran Shoko Sato at ONE X this past March.
Adiwang is in awe of his teammate’s talent and says “The Sniper” can match up with any type of opponent inside the Circle
“Thunder Kid” told ONE Championship:
“For me, it’s how he’s a complete fighter. Most people would say Team Lakay fighters are strikers but Stephen Loman is the complete package. That makes him really special. He can play on the ground, he can outwrestle you and as we’ve seen, he can knock you out too. That’s what makes him special.”
At this point, Adiwang is convinced that his Team Lakay stablemate will eventually challenge for the ONE Bantamweight World Title.
In fact, “Thunder Kid” believes that opportunity could come sooner rather than later if “The Sniper” gets a chance to fight former divisional king and current #1 contender Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes.
He said:
“[Stephen] really rose up the rankings fast. If he can win one more fight, I think he’ll face either the top contender or the champion, especially if he gets Bibiano [Fernandes] next. If he gets Bibiano and he beats him, I think he deserves a shot at the probable winner between [Fabricio] Andrade and [John] Lineker. I truly think he’s close to [fighting for] the belt.”
Lito Adiwang Thinks Stephen Loman Would Maximize Potential With More Experience
Lito Adiwang is currently on the path to recovery following an unfortunate ACL injury he suffered against fellow Filipino Jeremy “The Jaguar” Miado in March.
Still, “Thunder Kid” is keeping tabs on Stephen Loman’s progress and is fully invested in his rising teammate’s success.
But while Adiwang believes “The Sniper” has World Championship potential in ONE, he also thinks the #4-ranked bantamweight should target matchups against his fellow contenders before gunning for the top prize.
The Team Lakay product said:
“On my end though, I’d love for Stephen to beat all the top-five contenders. I feel like he’ll get more experience by staying active and beating all the top guys. I think if he does that, he’ll be much more prepared if he gets a World Title shot.
“We all know his capabilities. If he comes into the Circle a hundred percent healthy, he’ll beat anyone.”
