Mongolia’s Best Kept Secret: Why Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu Is Such A Dangerous MMA Fighter
Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu is ready to show the world the power of his Mongolian warrior spirit.
Following a pair of victories at the ONE Friday Fights event series, the surging 34-year-old will make his first U.S. primetime appearance at ONE Fight Night 13 on Prime Video on Friday, August 4.
Baatarkhuu is riding an impressive eight-bout winning streak into his bantamweight MMA tilt against Jhanlo Mark Sangiao, and a win over the unbeaten Filipino phenom would be his biggest result to date.
Here’s why the Team Tungaa representative is such a tough proposition for any opponent he meets on the global stage – including Sangiao at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
#1 Unstoppable Pressure
No matter who’s in front of him, Baatarkhuu will come forward and get in their face.
The Road to ONE Mongolia winner is happy to brawl with anyone and steps in with heavy punches at every opportunity.
That’s partly because of his elite conditioning. Baatarkhuu can maintain his pressure for 15 minutes with confidence, knowing that he owns the gas tank to support his intensity.
This allows him to grind down opponents and take control of a matchup while his rivals struggle to keep their heads above the water. When they’re forced to engage constantly with no respite, those opponents are drawn into the kind of game that the Khovd native thrives in.
#2 Punishing Clinch Work
One of the reasons Baatarkhuu likes to plow forward is to work his way into the clinch, where he excels.
By backing his opponents up constantly, he’ll eventually isolate them against the Circle Wall or ropes. From there, he can set to work with his relentless dirty boxing.
The 34-year-old uses upper body ties on the neck and arms to control the space and set up openings for his tight punches and elbows.
Staying head-to-head with his foe, Baatarkhuu throws his strikes through and around the guard, also adding in knees if he sees an opportunity.
#3 Delivering Damage From The Top
The Mongolian machine takes advantage of his striking dominance in close quarters by adding takedowns into the mix when he’s forced his foes to cover up.
By making them raise their hands to defend their head, Baatarkhuu gets an easier route through to grab a body lock or shoot for a double-leg takedown.
Once he plants them on their back, the Team Tungaa man keeps the same pace with his ground-and-pound striking.
He’ll happily blast away with punches and elbows from any top position, and if his rivals turtle, he often adds thudding grounded knees into the mix.
#4 An Iron Chin
Much of Baatarkhuu’s work would come undone if he didn’t have the whiskers to back up his style. Fortunately for the Mongolian slugger, he can rely on an iron chin to keep him in the game.
Baatarkhuu has been stopped just once in his MMA career, and that was when he made his debut at welterweight.
Now three divisions down at bantamweight – and undefeated in that weight class – he has the ability to absorb clean shots on his chin and look completely unfazed.
And while he does have a strong guard in defense, Baatarkhuu will sometimes lunge in and happily take one to give one, usually coming off better in that exchange of fists.
