"I realized he was flexible and strong" - Jhanlo Mark Sangiao admits Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg proved tougher than expected

Jhanlo Mark Sangiao knew he had a difficult puzzle to solve when Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg proved more resilient than anticipated during their bantamweight MMA clash at ONE Fight Night 33 last Friday.

The 23-year-old Team Lakay standout eventually found the solution, forcing the Mongolian veteran to tap out with a rear-naked choke at 4:42 of the third round inside Bangkok's legendary Lumpinee Stadium on July 11.

"In the first round, he defended against my attempts. I realized he was flexible and strong. I mixed striking and submissions as I wanted to get all opening opportunities to submit him," Jhanlo Mark Sangiao told ONE Championship following his triumphant return to action.

'The Machine's' honest assessment reveals that Zoltsetseg's defensive capabilities and physical attributes created genuine challenges early in the contest, forcing the Filipino phenom to adapt his approach.

The Mongolian's reputation for durability and unorthodox style made him a tricky opponent for Sangiao, who had to showcase his complete skill set to break down his opponent's resistance.

With the triumph, Jhanlo Mark Sangiao (7-1) returned to the winner's column after suffering the first loss of his career at the hands of Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu.

The young gun also maintained his 100 percent finish rate. Six of his wins have come by submission, while the other arrived via knockout.

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Jhanlo Mark Sangiao reveals game plan vs. Zoltsetseg

In the same interview with ONE Championship, Sangiao revealed his game plan for fight night was built around evading his opponent's strength and sticking to his tactics.

"The game was to put him to the ground, punish him. The game plan was executed, as you can see the result," the young star shared.

Though he was forced to go into overdrive in his three-round scrap alongside the hardy Mongolian, his finishing prowess proved to be the difference-maker inside the iconic venue yet again.

The entire ONE Fight Night 33 event is available for replay streaming to Amazon Prime Video subscribers across the United States and Canada.