Angelie Sabanal Has A Plan To Upset Another Hometown Hero

Angelie “D Explorer” Sabanal will enter enemy territory for the second time under the ONE Championship banner on Saturday, 17 November.

However, just like her first match in the world’s largest martial arts organization, the Filipina is not intimidated by her task at ONE: WARRIOR’S DREAM.

The 29-year-old native of Cagayan de Oro, Philippines is scheduled to square off with Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol at the Stadium Istora in her hometown of Jakarta, Indonesia.

“We’re going to test each other, and the one with more hunger and the best preparation will be the winner,” Sabanal says.

“It’s a tough test to fight a hometown favorite again, but I have to step up and prove that I am a warrior.”

In March, Sabanal shocked the world in her professional debut when she notched an upset victory over Thai martial arts hero Rika “Tiny Doll” Ishige at ONE: IRON WILL in Bangkok.

The scene was set for one of Asian mixed martial arts’ biggest breakout stars to shine in the Thai capital, but “D Explorer” stole her thunder with a mature performance that earned her a unanimous decision. 

Though the Mindanao Ultimate Mixed Martial Arts product earned the victory by dominating the striking exchanges and defending well against her opponent’s grappling offense, she admits she was stunned by the result.

“I did not know what to do. Do I celebrate or do I cry? I was really surprised because I did not expect the outcome. I couldn’t explain the feeling at the exact moment my name was announced as the winner,” she recalls.

“My opponent was clearly more experienced than me. Getting the victory over Rika is like winning a World Championship.”

At ONE: WARRIOR’S DREAM, Sabanal finds herself in a very similar situation as she battles Jakarta’s Lumban Gaol, who has won four of her five bouts in 2018.

Despite “Thathie’s” incredible success this year, Sabanal is relishing the chance to come in as an underdog against and cause another upset.

She is so confident, in fact, she has no intention of trying to block out the wave of noise that will fill the Stadium Istora in support the SEA Games Wushu Bronze Medalist. Instead, she will use it to fuel her own efforts in the cage.

“Honestly, I am not nervous. All I feel at the moment is the excitement because I have another chance to prove my worth as an athlete,” she says.

“Of course, there is pressure, especially after the win against Rika Ishige, but I thrive on it. I don’t feel any jitters. Maybe the pressure brings out the best in me.

“I am not going to zone out. It doesn’t matter if they will cheer or boo. It’s all energy. The more they are into the match, the more pumped up I get.”

This contest is shaping up to be a stand-up battle, but the Philippine National Muay Thai Silver Medalist is more than just a striker.

Sabanal has put a lot of effort into improving her Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills between bouts, and her hard work already seems to be paying off. 

She won a silver medal at the ADCC Northern Mindanao Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Competition in May, and now she will be ready to transfer everything she has learned to the cage – if she needs to.

“If she wants to strike with me, I will be glad to oblige. I also have no problem rolling with her on the mat. I want to test my developing ground game in the match against her,” she says. 

“My goal is to be a complete fighter. This is mixed martial arts, and the sport requires me to cover all bases. Even though I am coming off a win over an athlete with a decent background in grappling, I shouldn’t be complacent.”

With her morale at an all-time high, Sabanal is confident she will emerge triumphant against Lumban Gaol and make sure all the fans in the Stadium Istora – and across Asia – know her name.

“I don’t mind if they have no idea who I am before the fight. What matters most is that the fans in Jakarta will remember me after the match,” she adds.