Team Lakay coach Mark Sangiao sees a determined version of Stephen Loman after joining his teammates in ONE Championship.
Sangiao said fighting in the same promotion will give an additional boost for Loman ahead of his ONE Championship debut since vacating the bantamweight belt in BRAVE Combat Federation.
"Focus lang siya sa training. Ang maganda roon, andyan 'yung mga kasama niya, mga champions din sa ONE Championship, so tuloy pa rin ang training, (He is focused in training. The move in ONE Championship is beneficial since his teammates are fighting there so the training is continuous)." Sangiao told the Manila Bulletin Wednesday night. "Ang maganda ngayon ay sa isang promotion na lang silang maglalaro (The beauty in it is that they fight under the same promotion)."
Loman, the longest reigning champion in BRAVE who fights in the bantamweight division, parted ways with the Bahrain-based promotion after his contract expired late last year.
It wasn't an easy decision for both Loman and Sangiao, but the Team Lakay patriarch said ONE Championship had offered his student the best offer possible out of the promotions that pitched in.
After several meetings, Loman eventually landed with ONE Championship.
And Sangiao has the same level of expectation for Loman, 25, when he enters the Circle.
"Nakita ko kung gaano siya kadeterminado sa training. Nakita ko siya na kahit gaano kahirap, duguan man siya, pinipilit niya pa ring manalo (I have seen his determination in training. I have seen that no matter how difficult, even if he's already bloodied, he still continues to fight and win)," added the soft-spoken Team Lakay mentor.
"Lalo sa ngayon na mas malaki ang promotion niyang pinasukan and tingin ko mas determinado siya ngayon para i-pursue at i-improve 'yung kanyang career. (Especially now that he's in a bigger promotion and I think he's more determined to pursue and improve his career)."
Loman, who holds a 14-2 record, is expected to still fight in the bantamweight and will most likely join former champion Kevin Belingon in the contenders' list but his debut match has yet to be announced.