‘Persistent And Hardworking’ – Jadambaa Explains Why Protege Baatarkhuu Will Shock The World At ONE Fight Night 38
Former ONE Featherweight MMA World Champion Narantungalag “Tungaa” Jadambaa has spent decades shaping Mongolia’s fighting spirit, but few moments in his storied career have meant more than the one approaching on Friday, December 5.
At ONE Fight Night 38: Andrade vs. Baatarkhuu on Prime Video, which airs live in U.S. primetime, his longtime protege “The Tormentor” Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu will challenge ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade for the coveted gold.
This is more than 11 years after Jadambaa became a ONE World Champion himself, and now, Baatarkhuu has a chance to follow in his footsteps.
For the 49-year-old icon, it represents a passing-of-the-torch moment. Baatarkhuu emerged from Mongolia’s rugged wrestling culture and carved his path in mixed martial arts through grit, heart, and relentless consistency – qualities Jadambaa recognized from day one.
Now, seeing his student headline a show against the Brazilian knockout artist fills the legend with deep pride. Jadambaa believes the “Physical: Asia” star has all the tools necessary to shock the world – and that this World Title challenge is no coincidence, but the natural result of years of sacrifice and unwavering discipline.
He said:
“The most important advantage Enkh-Orgil has is that he is persistent and hardworking. He is hardworking and honest.
“Eleven years after I became World Champion, in the very organization where I held the title, my trainee Enkh-Orgil has earned the opportunity to fight for the championship belt. I’m personally very happy about this.”
Standing across from Baatarkhuu, however, is one of the most dangerous World Champions in the sport today.
Andrade has torn through ONE Championship with unmatched precision, smashing his way through two brutal encounters with former divisional king John “Hands of Stone” Lineker to capture the bantamweight crown.
The Brazilian kingpin then defended the belt with a stunning 42-second knockout of Kwon Won Il in their rematch at ONE 170 this past January.
With an eight-bout undefeated run in the promotion’s MMA ranks, Andrade has evolved into a World Champion who rarely leaves openings, pushing every opponent to their absolute limit and then completely breaking them.
To Jadambaa, that only magnifies the scale of the opportunity ahead and the significance of what victory at ONE Fight Night 38 would mean for Mongolia’s fighting legacy.
He added:
“Of course, his opponent is a strong and skilled champion. I hope that as a result of consistent training, he will win.”
Jadambaa Spotted Baatarkhuu’s Potential Early
For Narantungalag Jadambaa, the clearest sign that Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu was destined for greatness came long before this ONE Bantamweight MMA World Title shot.
It happened during his clash with the previously undefeated Filipino phenom Jhanlo Mark Sangiao at ONE Fight Night 13 in August 2023.
That night, Baatarkhuu didn’t just hand the surging star his first professional loss. He stayed composed under pressure, absorbed big shots, executed a slick kimura in the second round, and walked away with a US$50,000 performance bonus from ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong.
To Jadambaa, however, that victory proved Baatarkhuu already possessed the poise, toughness, and instincts required to thrive on the global stage at the very highest level.
The former ONE Featherweight MMA World Champion said:
“The moment I’m most proud of is when he won his match against Sangiao and earned a US$50,000 bonus. The opponent was a strong guy, and he was undefeated at the time.
“Then, Enkh-Orgil followed his plan and endured a heavy blow as well. But I’m happy he went out there and won fairly. I was thrilled that he had accomplished his big goal.”
