“To come back strong and more electrifying than before” – Lito Adiwang says 2023 was all about putting his injury behind

After suffering a devastating knee injury at the promotion’s 10-year anniversary showcase, Filipino fan favorite Lito Adiwang is determined to keep winning and more importantly, stay healthy in the new year.

After suffering a second-round TKO against Jeremy Miado at ONE X, ‘Thunder Kid’ bounced back in a big way in 2023, earning a spectacular 23-second knockout of Adrian Mattheis at ONE Friday Fights 34 in September.

That victory earned him a rematch with Miado six weeks later at ONE Fight Night 16 on Prime Video.

Taking full advantage of the opportunity, Miado delivered a dominant three-round performance to score his second-straight win since making his return.

Speaking with ONE Championship, Lito Adiwang said that he was determined to overcome the injury he suffered and not let it have a lasting effect on his career.

“That’s just what I kept thinking leading up to my bout against Mattheis,” Lito Adiwang said. “I never wanted the injury to become this big roadblock that I couldn’t overcome. I didn’t want it to pull me down. I wanted to come back strong and more electrifying than before. That’s what was on my mind.”

Is it time for Lito Adiwang to make a run at the ONE world title?

With two big wins under his belt, ‘Thunder Kid’ couldn’t have asked for a better way to show the world and ONE Championship that he’s back and ready to make a run at the title.

“I wanted a comeback, and I got more than a comeback, I had a great one,” he added. “So I’m grateful that I was able to deliver. It just wasn’t one fight, I came back and finished a quick one and had a quick turnaround to get another win and prove that I’m back in the game.”

With a solid 9-3 record under the ONE banner, Lito Adiwang could very well be on the verge of securing himself a shot at reigning ONE strawweight world champion Jarred Brooks.

Adiwang has previously met ‘The Monkey God’ in November 2021. Adiwang succumbed to a second-round submission, but with more than two years to improve and a heap of momentum backing him up, perhaps it’s time for ‘Thunder Kid’ to get another crack at handing Brooks the first loss of his ONE Championship career.