Reigning ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion “The Tormentor” Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu may not have an opponent officially lined up for his next walk to the Circle, but his ambitions have never been clearer.
Having already conquered his own weight class, the Mongolian superstar is ready to write a new chapter in his martial arts legacy, and he’s eyeing a potential showdown with ONE Featherweight MMA World Champion Tang Kai for a shot at another 26 pounds of gold.
For “The Tormentor,” stepping into a heavier weight class is not just about securing another piece of hardware. It is about cementing his name among the biggest legends of the sport.
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The bantamweight MMA king stated:
“All martial artists have a dream to become multi-division champions, right? For me, it’s the same. Most importantly, I want to make history as the first-ever two-division Mongolian MMA World Champion. That is the biggest motivation for me to challenge Tang Kai for the featherweight belt.”
A potential collision between Baatarkhuu’s relentless grappling pressure and Tang’s devastating knockout power would be a massive spectacle for ONE Championship fans all across the globe. The Mongolian has already visualized how that battle against the Chinese phenom might unfold.
He explained:
“After Tang Kai and myself go inside the cage, I don’t know what will happen. I don’t know how the fight will end, whether that’s by a knockout or submission. But what I am thinking in my mind, I see a five-round war. For me, there’s a chance I can go the distance with him and beat him.”
Moving up to face a heavier, highly dangerous World Champion is a daunting prospect. Even so, that potential super-fight will have to wait a little longer since Tang will be defending his belt against Shamil “The Cobra” Gasanov next at ONE Fight Night 43 in U.S. primetime on May 15.
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However, if Baatarkhuu were to get that opportunity later this year, it would be hard to bet against him. He has been on a truly historic run and knows exactly what it takes to defy the odds, having captured the coveted ONE Bantamweight MMA World Title by submitting former divisional kingpin Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade at ONE Fight Night 38 last December.
Carrying that unshakable confidence, he is eager to test his steel against Tang at some point:
“If ONE Championship gives me the opportunity, I would like to really challenge and go up against Tang Kai. I think he’s also really hungry to fight, so it should be a great fight.”
The Future Of The Bantamweight MMA Throne
Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu’s eyes may be fixed on two-division supremacy, but he is also fiercely protective of his bantamweight MMA crown. The Mongolian hero firmly believes that any athlete looking to challenge for his World Title must be riding a wave of undeniable momentum, rather than stumbling into a championship opportunity off a loss.
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That strict standard of merit was instilled in him by his legendary coach, former ONE Featherweight MMA World Champion Narantungalag “Tungaa” Jadambaa.
Baatarkhuu noted:
“I know that holding the World Title – holding this golden belt – is a huge responsibility. I have major respect for my belt as well.
“My coach, Narantungalag Jadambaa, fought for a title shot three times. And every time he lost, he would have to win at least two more times before he could fight for the belt again. I do believe that the reason behind it is that whoever is willing to fight for the belt must win his last fight – at least one fight.”
Looking at the current landscape of the bantamweight MMA division, Baatarkhuu sees two obvious contenders hovering at the top: former divisional rulers Fabricio Andrade and John “Hands of Stone” Lineker.
However, with both men coming off tough defeats, the reigning World Champion believes the path forward is clear. Instead of granting either man an immediate shot, Baatarkhuu wants to see the two Brazilian knockout artists face each other in a high-stakes World Title eliminator while he hunts for featherweight MMA gold.
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The Mongolian superstar declared:
“I am okay to fight whoever, but in my division, for example, [John] Lineker, he lost his last fight. And Fabricio also lost to me. It was a rear-naked choke. It wasn’t like a five-round decision.
“I would like to say that I’m ready to fight whoever deserves to fight me. But I think it is better for those two guys to face each other. Whoever wins can go against me, I’m ready to do that.”
Even with that gauntlet laid down, Baatarkhuu is already looking ahead to the ultimate victor.
Having already handed Andrade a definitive defeat, the Mongolian hero envisions Lineker surviving that hypothetical eliminator, setting the stage for an explosive ONE Bantamweight MMA World Title showdown in the future.
Anticipating that eventual war, Baatarkhuu concluded:
“I have a lot of respect for Lineker. He has been a champion before, and he’s a really strong striker. Obviously, it’s going to be a war, like what happened between Fabricio Andrade and myself. It’s hard to tell who’s tougher, though. The only way we will know is if we face each other.”
