Saclag in sorrow after settling for silver a second time
NAGOYA, Japan — Silver again. And it hurts more the second time.
Jean Claude "The Dynamite" Saclag came one win away from history — the Philippines' first gold in this Asian Games and the first-ever Asian Games gold in mixed martial arts — only to have it buried on the mat.
The 31-year-old Baguio fighter fell to Tajikistan's Otabek Rajabov in the men's traditional -65kg MMA final at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games Tuesday, a classic striker-vs-grappler duel that ended exactly where Saclag didn't want it: on the ground.
"Parang tatlong tao ang nakadagan," Saclag said of the 23-year-old unbeaten Tajik.
It didn't start that way. Saclag won the early standing war, uncorking a looping head shot that knocked Rajabov down.
Then came the mistake that cost him gold.
"Sabi ng coach ko hintayin kong tumayo, pero nakita ko yung mata nya, hilo pa, pumasok ang killer instinct ko," he said.
He dove in. Rajabov grabbed him. And that was it — the start of a sorry end.
Once on the canvas, Rajabov never let him breathe. Saclag spent most of the fight pinned, smothered, and shut down.
The loss mirrored Incheon 2014, when Saclag the wushu artist also settled for silver.
"Sayang talaga. Gusto ko talagang makakuha ng gold. Nag-expect ako na kaya kong mag-gold. Malungkot ako, hindi lang dahil natalo ako, kundi dahil sa performance ko," he said.
"Sinabi ko sa sarili ko na ito na 'yung pagkakataon kong mag-gold, kasi noong 2014, natalo rin ako sa finals sa wushu."
He thought he had closed the gap on the ground.
"Akala ko nag-improve na ako, pero grabe ang higpit niya sa baba. Gusto kong tumayo para makabalik sa laban, pero hindi niya talaga ako pinatayo."
Even Rajabov felt the power. Saclag said his opponent acknowledged his punches during their handshake after.
A day earlier, Saclag had neutralized Japan's Daisuke Murayama in the semifinals with a simple plan: keep distance, punish, don't get dragged.
Against Rajabov, the plan held until the killer instinct took over.
"Expected ko na 'yung ganung laban. Ang game plan sana, strike, strike, tapos iwas. Hindi ako magpapa-takedown. Pero noong second round, siguro nagmadali ako dahil akala ko nakuha ko na 'yung first round."
The silver still assured the Philippines a podium in MMA's Asian Games debut, following Carlos Alvarez's bronze in the -77kg class a day earlier. But for Saclag, whose Team Lakay roots in wushu sanda and kickboxing made the transition to MMA feel natural, the final was a brutal audit.
"Gagamitin ko itong sakit para mag-improve pa. Kailangan ko pang husayan ang ground game ko. Sayang, pero thankful pa rin ako. Nakarating tayo sa finals at safe pa ako."
One win away from history. It ended up buried on the ground.
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