Fresh from a bronze medal finish in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam, Team Lakay's Jenelyn Olsim is set to return to the Circle on Friday, June 3.
Olsim, who competed in vovinam, a Vietnamese martial art, said her preparation for the SEA Games also helped her in getting back to the mixed martial arts scene.
This time, another different scoring system and a much more physical contest await Olsim when she faces Brazilian opponent Julie Mezabarba.
"Kung baga naging sparring ko lang din 'yong sa vovinam which is masaya naman," said the 25-year-old Olsim, who was one of the Team Lakay members selected in the national team, in a media availability Friday, May 27.
With the help of the Samahang Kickboxing ng Pilipinas, where coach Mark Sangiao serves as one of the coaches, Olsim came back to MMA more than prepared following a bronze medal in the regional biennial meet.
Before she began her MMA career, Olsim had competed in amateur muay thai where striking is the bread and butter.
After a seven-month hiatus in ONE, with most of the scheduled bouts being cancelled, Olsim assured that she's one hundred percent ready to return to the Circle.
Olsim, who holds a 5-3 record, last saw action in the atomweight grand prix last October 2021 and served a late replacement against Ritu Phogat of India.
The Team Lakay stalwart, however, absorbed a unanimous decision loss at the hands of Phogat.
Mezabarba (9-3), for her part, also suffered the same fate in the grand prix and lost to eventual tournament champion Stamp Fairtex.