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Filipino strawweight fighter Lito Adiwang is set to make his return to action from injury this week against an opponent he considers as a perfect fit for him.
The ’Thunder Kid’ will go up against Adrian Mattheis of Indonesia at ONE Friday Fights 34 on September 22. The strawweight mixed martial arts joust is part of the 11-fight offering happening at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok.
In an interview with The MMA Superfan, 30-year-old Lito Adiwang shared that ONE did well in pairing him up with the ‘Papua Badboy', who he sees as bringing out the best in him, which will be good for his confidence.
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The two-time Philippine national wushu champion said:
“For me I can say that he is the perfect opponent because he already beat a former champion, he’s been active since 2017. His fighting spirit is really a warrior’s heart. He will go toe-to-toe and that’s the opponent I need right now, someone who will trade with me.”
He continued:
“I know he can bring my confidence back, that’s why I said he’s the perfect opponent for me. And we all know that he’s a dangerous opponent also, he’s not just any ordinary fighter.”
Watch the interview below:
Lito Adiwang injured his knee in his showdown with compatriot Jeremy Miado in March last year in Japan, forcing him to take a technical knockout loss.
He was initially scheduled to return to competition in January but recurring pain on his injured knee did not allow him to proceed. But he stayed the course in his rehab and is now ready to battle.
For his return to action, Lito Adiwang trained with HIIT Studio in Bali after deciding to leave Team Lakay earlier this year.
Adrian Mattheis, 30, for his part, is seeking to make it back-to-back victories after defeating Zelang Zhaxi of China in just 57 seconds in their match in February. He has been part of ONE Championship for a while now, having debuted in the promotion in September 2017.
ONE Friday Fights 34 is available on the ONE Super App, the official ONE Championship YouTube channel, and other digital platforms.
