The championship dream started with a knockout in Mongolia. For Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu, it’s about to come full circle in Bangkok.
The 36-year-old Mongolian contender challenges reigning ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion Fabricio Andrade. This happens at ONE Fight Night 38 on Friday, December 5, inside Bangkok, Thailand. The #4-ranked bantamweight steps into the biggest moment of his professional MMA career after finishing five Filipino opponents and leaving destruction across two weight classes.
Baatarkhuu earned his spot through Road to ONE: Mongolia in December 2022. He walked off Batochir Batsaikhan cold in the tournament final, claiming a $100,000 contract under the tutelage of former ONE Featherweight MMA World Champion Narantungalag Jadambaa. But arriving in ONE Championship was just the beginning.
His debut came four months later against Adonis Sevilleno at ONE Friday Fights 13. Baatarkhuu pressured the Team Lakay fighter relentlessly across three rounds, earning a unanimous decision that announced his arrival. One month after that, he demolished Rockie Bactol with ground strikes in the opening frame, showcasing the finishing instinct that would define his ascent.
The real statement came against Jhanlo Mark Sangiao at ONE Fight Night 13. Baatarkhuu absorbed two knockdowns in the first round before rallying with a crushing elbow and locking up a kimura submission in round two. The stunning upset against the undefeated prospect earned him fifty grand in bonus money and proved he belonged among the division’s elite.
Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu overcame career-threatening setback
The momentum crashed hard at ONE Fight Night 18. Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu controlled Artem Belakh for nearly ten minutes with suffocating top pressure, seemingly cruising toward another dominant victory and a top-five ranking. Then Belakh broke free and landed a jumping knee flush on the chin. The Russian unloaded elbows and punches until the referee stopped it, handing Baatarkhuu his first promotional loss in devastating fashion.
Seven months later, he faced Carlo Bumina-ang at ONE Fight Night 24 with redemption on his mind. The undefeated Team Lakay fighter wanted revenge for his fallen teammates. Baatarkhuu dragged him through three rounds of hell instead, mixing smothering clinch work with endless submission attempts. With one second left in the final frame, he cinched an arm-triangle choke and put Bumina-ang unconscious, becoming the first man to finish him.
The dramatic victory set up a featherweight showdown with Aaron Canarte at ONE Fight Night 27 this past January. Baatarkhuu wobbled the Ecuadorian with crisp striking before securing a takedown into half-guard. He immediately attacked an armbar, smoothly transitioning to his signature kimura when Canarte defended. The tap came midway through round one, proving the submission worked at any weight class.
Back at bantamweight for ONE Fight Night 29 in March, he dominated #5-ranked Jeremy Pacatiw across three rounds with trademark grappling pressure. The unanimous decision extended his perfect record against Filipino opposition to 5-0 and cemented his #4 ranking. Even Andrade acknowledged him as a formidable threat afterward.