Sean “The One” Climaco may not have been born and raised in the Philippines, but he is determined to carry the flag of his native country with honor in his next outing.
The Filipino-American striker reports for duty at ONE 168: Denver on September 7 (Philippine time). There, he locks horns with Johan Estupinan in a flyweight Muay Thai clash, happening live at the 21,000-seater Ball Arena.
Climaco is filled with Filipino pride as he prepares for a crucial match that could establish his reputation in a division full of notable names such as Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Superlek Kiatmoo9.
“It would be an honor to represent the Philippines and where I’m from, the Bay Area in California, I’m ready to represent,” he said.
“Just being a Filipino, a lot of Filipinos got their fighting spirit in them, especially the Cebuanos. My family’s from Cebu.”
The 30-year-old’s initial breakthrough came when he emerged victorious in the “Road to ONE: America” tournament last year.
During the competition, he knocked out all three of his opponents, earning a guaranteed contract with the world’s largest martial arts organization.
“The One” wasted no time in proving his worth. In his promotional debut this past May, he delivered a stunning first-round knockout against Josue Cruz, validating his place among the sport’s elite.
Now, with momentum on his side, Climaco is eager to up the ante by defeating Estupinan in Denver.
“This training camp has been really good. I feel really good and confident. Going to my second fight in ONE, I’m training harder and more motivated than ever — especially against a young, undefeated kid coming up,” he stated.
“It’s going to be a good matchup, but he hasn’t fought anyone like me yet.”
Looking ahead, Climaco harbors a dream that extends beyond the confines of the Circle.
He hopes that one day he will have the opportunity to return to the Philippines and perform in front of a home crowd.
“I would love to go back to the Philippines. It’s been over 16 years since I’ve been back home. It’s been a while. I’ve only been there a handful of times, but I’d love to go back,” he expressed.
