Keito Yamakita And Lito Adiwang Both Promise Constant Aggression In Battle For Top-Five Strawweight Ranking
Keito “Pocket Monk” Yamakita and Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang have each devised game plans focused on nonstop offense for their pivotal strawweight MMA bout at ONE Fight Night 28: Prajanchai vs. Barboza on Prime Video in U.S. primetime this Friday, February 7.
Set to go down at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, that matchup carries major implications for the ONE Strawweight MMA World Title picture.
Japan’s Yamakita is the division’s #4-ranked contender, having lost just one time in the world’s largest martial arts organization. Adiwang, meanwhile, is a long-tenured ONE superstar who will come into the contest on a three-fight winning streak and hungry to earn his spot in the top five.
With both athletes almost ready for ONE Fight Night 28, they spoke to onefc.com about what fans can expect in this high-stakes showdown.
Yamakita: ‘My Main Goal Is To Look For Submissions’
A powerhouse wrestler with refined submission skills to match, Yamakita knows that he’s likely to hold a grappling advantage over the explosive striker in Adiwang.
However, “Pocket Monk” is quick to give his foe credit for being a well-rounded mixed martial artist, noting the Filipino is no stranger to finishing the fight on the mat:
“He’s a striker who throws powerful punches, so I think it’s dangerous if they land. He also seems very strong in the clinch. Usually with strikers, you might think, ‘I can handle them once I clinch,’ but with him, you can’t let your guard down, even in the clinch.
“He’s won by submission, too. So I’ll need to handle the grappling situations carefully.”
Yamakita would prefer to score takedowns and work from the top position, where he can employ his savage ground-and-pound, elite guard passing, and relentless submission attack.
But the Japanese fighter is also comfortable looking for submissions from his back.
Considering ONE’s global rule set and judging criteria that emphasizes damage and near-finishes, he said that trying to finish the fight – from any position – is his primary goal against Adiwang:
“Basically, I want to aim for submissions from top control, and if I end up on bottom, I’ll look for submissions while creating scrambles. I think this style fits ONE’s judging criteria better.”
“Pocket Monk” recognizes that, on paper, this clash looks like a classic striker-versus-grappler matchup. He also knows that he can’t afford to approach the fight with a one-track, grappling-only mindset.
Instead, he’s been fine-tuning his striking game to ensure he can first compete with “Thunder Kid” on the feet before setting up his takedowns and securing the submission on the mat.
He added:
“Rather than just exchanging strikes, I plan to throw strikes effectively. If I only go for clinches, my takedowns become more predictable.
“I need to show active striking. So, while I’ll show I’m ready to compete in striking, my main goal is still to look for submissions in the clinch.”
Adiwang: ‘I’m Visualizing A Finish’
Lito Adiwang also plans to attack in all phases of his fight against Keito Yamakita.
According to the 31-year-old wushu sanda specialist, the key to defending “Pocket Monk’s” trademark clinch and takedown game will be landing strikes early and often on the feet.
The best defense is a good offense, he said:
“[Yamakita is] truly a grinder. He has very beautiful wrestling and excellent pressure. On my part, I have to make sure that I get to hit him before he tries to control me.
“So that’s what we’re working on right now. We have to make sure that we’re not just defending, but also attacking him in that situation, as well.”
Taking that game plan a step further, Adiwang believes he’ll have the upper hand so long as he’s able to force Yamakita on the defensive.
The Filipino plans to take charge in the bout’s opening moments and never allow his foe to get out of first gear:
“He’s at his best when he’s attacking. He’s able to dominate when he’s in a flow, but on the flip side, his weakness is when he’s the one being pressured and being attacked.
“That’s one thing we’re working on. That’s a must. Once he starts to control the fight, it’s gonna be a big disadvantage on my end. So I have to maintain my distance, dictate the tempo, and basically be the one to control the fight.”
After 13 thrilling battles in ONE, Adiwang has cemented himself as one of the organization’s most entertaining athletes – a true knockout artist with a crowd-pleasing approach.
Against the #4-ranked strawweight MMA contender, though, he hopes to showcase a more tactical and well-rounded style to prove he can hang with the division’s most talented grapplers.
Still, even with a more careful approach, “Thunder Kid” is aiming for a stoppage on February 7:
“I want to show a more calculated Lito Adiwang. Not just someone who strikes, but someone who can mix it up and also compete on the ground. I’m a mixed martial artist. Not just a one-dimensional fighter.
“I’m visualizing a finish in this fight, and make no mistake, we’re working on that.”
