Lito Adiwang will no longer don the red Team Lakay trunks when he returns to action on Sept. 22. Handout photo
Local MMA fans may have already gotten used to see Lito "Thunder Kid" Adiwang wearing the traditional red Team Lakay trunks whenever he climbs the ring.
But since he is now part of the newly established HIIT Studio in Bali, Indonesia, he has decided to come up with a new look that he will wear in his comeback fight against Adrian "Papua Badboy" Mattheis on Sept. 22.
"Parang nasanay tayong red with Team Lakay," said Adiwang, who has moved overseas for a fresh start after recovering from a knee injury.
"Ngayon ginagawa na 'yung shorts ko. I designed a pair of shorts na hindi lang team ang nirere-present. I decided to make it blue-white and yellow trunks parang 'yung flag natin ng Pilipinas."
It will be a fresh start for the former Team Lakay star, who had to go through an 18-month injury layoff after tearing his ACL in March 2022 during a bout against fellow Filipino Jeremy Miado in ONE X.
Adiwang admitted it was tough coming back from injury, citing it forced him to make adjustments with his training.
"I needed to cancel some fights. After that I needed to train wiser and smarter... chineck ko ang exercises na kailangan kong iundergo para smooth ang recovery natin. And naging maganda ang recovery natin," he said.
Now he needs to hurdle an explosive fighter in Mattheis, who fights in a pace similar to Adiwang's.
"He's an aggressive fighter and explosive. Tingnan na lang natin kung sinong makakaset up and connect his strikes," said the Filipino.
"Halos parehas nga kami pero there are levels in this game. Tingnan na lang natin whose better in striking sa amin."