Indonesian mixed martial arts champion Paul “The Great King” Lumihi has had a rough go in his time inside the ONE Circle.
The 33-year-old from Manado, Indonesia made his promotional debut in 2019, losing to countryman “The Terminator” Sunoto in a close three round decision. He returned twice later on in the year, but was finished by Zhao Zhi Kang and Li Kai Wen inside the distance.
Now harboring a three-bout losing streak, Lumihi wants nothing more than to get back into the winning column, and is out for redemption the next time he enters the Circle.
“I take my losses hard. However, after experiencing that, I feel that it is okay to lose. Losing is a common thing. So that doesn’t burden me. Right now I’m just focused on getting the win here. I am very optimistic,” said Lumihi.
Lumihi returns to action at ONE: UNBREAKABLE III, an event scheduled for broadcast on Friday, 5 February. “The Great King” promises fans a much-improved skill set, one that he can’t wait to showcase.
“The last time I was in the Circle, I was more focused on striking. In all three of my recent losses, I saw that I actually have ground fighting ability. But I wasn’t too confident in utilizing my submission skills,” said Lumihi.
“I have definitely sharpened my submission and grappling skills. I want to strike with my opponents, but if it is unfavorable for me, having grappling skills would be great. I want to show that in this fight.”
Standing opposite the ONE Circle from Lumihi will be rising star Tial “The Dragon Leg” Thang of Myanmar. Thang is so far unbeaten in ONE Championship with two big wins. He currently trains with former ONE World Champions Aung La N Sang and Martin Nguyen at Sanford MMA in Florida, USA.
Lumihi and Thang will do battle in a three-round bantamweight mixed martial arts contest. Lumihi has done his homework on Thang, and has carefully crafted a game plan to put him in a good position for victory.
“I have always studied my previous bouts. It’s a good way to realize a lot of things. I saw several mistakes, especially in the grappling area. So I know what to do in my next fight. Tial Thang is a good wrestler, so my mindset would be to try to outwork him. If I see an opportunity to submit him, I will go for it,” said Lumihi.
“If I go out there, compete, and still lose, it just means it’s not my time to shine just yet. I’m patient, because I know my time will come. I want to thank all the fans for their support.”
After over a year sidelined and having to deal with the far-reaching effects of COVID-19, especially in Indonesia, “The Great King” is just happy he can climb back into the Circle again to compete. If Lumihi can beat Thang, a highly-regarded opponent, it could bode well for his future in ONE Championship.
“I’m very glad and overwhelmed that I can return to the ONE Circle, let alone return against a very strong opponent such as Tial Thang. I really want to get a big win this time. Against Thang, that would be huge,” said Lumihi.
“This bout is extremely important to me, because I have experienced three losses with ONE, therefore, I must win this time. Moreover, I’m the only Indonesian athlete competing here, so I have to represent my country well. I definitely have to win this bout.”
Improved Paul Lumihi Promises Redemption at ONE: UNBREAKABLE III in Singapore
