Lito Adiwang, Kemp Cheng, Pongsiri Mitsatit (©ONE Championship)

ONE Warrior Series has produced some incredible talent who have moved on to ONE Championship. ONE Atomweight Kickboxing and Muay Thai World Champion Stamp Fairtex, 22, of Thailand is perhaps the most prominent thus far.

According to ONE Warrior Series CEO Rich “Ace” Franklin, 45, of the United States, Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang, 26, of the Philippines is a future world champion. Training out of Team Lakay in La Trinidad, Benguet, Philippines, the Filipino mixed martial artist competed in the ONE Championship subsidiary from 2018 to 2019.

“The moment I saw Lito perform, I knew he was something special,” Franklin stated. “He’s the complete package. He has the power and the skill.”

“I knew he would move through the ranks quickly,” Franklin said of Adiwang. “We’re always looking for the best talent in the world. We want to give opportunity to those who we believe can step onto the global stage and make an immediate impact.”

Rich Franklin (© Stephen Brashear)

Competing professionally since 2012, Adiwang is one of the most promising ones among the new ONE Championship athletes, particularly in the strawweight division. The Igorot MMA fighter defeated three ONE Warrior Series opponents namely Jose “Tick” Huerta, 28, of the U.S. Alber “War Machine” Correia, 22, of Brazil and Anthony “The Antidote” Do, 26, of the U.S.

On October 12, 2019, Adiwang made his ONE Championship debut at “ONE: Century 世紀” at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan by knocking out Senzo Ikeda, 37, of Japan. On January 31, 2020, the Team Lakay representative submitted Pongsiri “The Smiling Assassin” Mitsatit, 23, of Thailand at “ONE: Fire and Fury” at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines.

Winning at “ONE: Fire and Fury” improved the professional MMA record of Adiwang to 11 wins and 2 losses. On the other hand, Mitsatit now has 10 wins and 5 losses.