Enkh-Orgil Baartakhuu Talks Road to ONE: Mongolia Title Win, World Title Aspirations

Singapore, December 24: Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu is looking to follow in the footsteps of his famous coach and former ONE Featherweight World Champion, Narantungalag Jadambaa.

The rising Mongolian star has cleared the first hurdle on that journey by winning the first season of Road to ONE: Mongolia last month, along with the $100,000 ONE Championship contract that comes with it.

Baatarkhuu was born in Khovd, Mongolia, and grew up in a farming family. He found wrestling at a relatively young age but quickly developed an interest in striking, so he switched to taekwondo - a move that perhaps set him on the path towards MMA.

"I joined the freestyle wrestling club when I was in the fifth grade. But after only two months, I decided to leave it and join the taekwondo club practicing next door, as I was more interested in kicking and punching than just grappling on the ground. That's when my life's path began to turn toward martial arts," he said.

Despite initially dreaming of winning an Olympic gold medal in taekwondo, Baatarkhuu fell in love with MMA in 2009 - inspired by the run of his countryman, Jadambaa.

Baatarkhuu sought out his idol, eventually joining Jadambaa's gym. After pursuing a career in fitness, Baatarkhuu landed a lucrative job as a platform operator. However, despite the financial security the role brought, he still dreamed of a career in martial arts.

"In 2016, everything changed. Even though I was financially comfortable at that time, I felt that something was missing. I felt like I wasn't living my life to the fullest. Like, I wasn't living at all. Just existing. That desire to achieve something great in my life was burning in my chest," he said.

"So I asked myself, 'What is the one thing that makes me feel happy and alive?' The answer was fighting. Nothing compares to the feeling of being born again after a fight, as if everything is starting anew. Pure adrenaline. I love that feeling, and so I chose MMA as my destiny."

After years of grinding away on the national scene, opportunity came knocking in 2022, as ONE announced Road to ONE: Mongolia - a 10-episode reality series featuring two teams vying for a spot on the ONE roster.

When Jadambaa heard about it, he immediately told his protégé and entered him into the competition.

"I first heard the news that Road to ONE was going to be held in Mongolia from my coach. We have talked many times before about going abroad to fight, but we couldn't decide exactly where to go and which promotion to fight in. So, the news of Road to ONE: Mongolia made me really happy," Baatarkhuu said.

The 34-year-old took the opportunity with both hands and went on to win back-to-back fights in the two-part finale, culminating in a one-punch knockout of Bat-Ochir Batsaikhan.

Now a part of the ONE roster, Baatarkhuu is preparing to make his promotional debut in 2023 and begin his journey to ONE gold - just as his mentor did.

"My goal is clear: the ONE Championship belt, and I won't rest until I have it. I want to show my opponents how strong Mongolian fighters are. I want to show how fierce and dangerous we are, just like our ancestors who conquered half of the world," he said.

The fighters who will face me on the ONE Championship stage need to be prepared for everything. That is my message, be prepared for everything."

Source: Media Release