Sarawak’s Jace “JKO” Law is ready to make his professional mixed martial arts debut when Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series returns on Thursday, 20 June.
The 27-year-old mixed martial artist from Kuching takes on South Korea’s Jong Heon in a three-round featherweight duel at OWS 6.
“Turning professional has always been my dream as a martial artist, but I was forced to push the plan back a year later due to an injury last year,” said Law, who trains out of the Gym Box and Knight Performance Training Centre.
“Now that I’ve recovered, I told myself why not. Despite it being on a bit of a late notice, I wanted to take it because I did not want the opportunity to go to waste.”
Just like most Malaysians, Law’s martial arts journey began through taekwondo in secondary school.
Ultimately, that was short-lived, and years later, in 2013, he found a new passion in Muay Thai.
“When I discovered Muay Thai back then, I thought I’d just train and compete in the local scene. But I couldn’t see growth in there, and started itching for more,” the athlete of Chinese and Filipino parentage shared.
“A year later in 2014, I picked up mixed martial arts, and that led me to where I am today – competing in one of the biggest organizations in the world.”
During his amateur career, Law amassed an impressive 11-4 record. He defeated some of the country’s finest talents and captured the Malaysian Invasion Mixed Martial Arts (MIMMA) lightweight crown in 2015.
Athletes like Agilan Thani, Keanu Subba, Muhammad Aiman, and Jihin Radzuan made their way up through the same amateur circuit.
Not many, however, would have opted for the path Law picked, simply because turning professional as soon as the chance came was something no one could have passed on.
“I feel staying in the amateur scene for years prepped me well for my professional debut. I’ve always been blessed to test my skills against the best in Malaysia, and if anything, these years of experience have given me a slight advantage,” he explained.
“All my patience in the amateur scene has reaped its rewards. Yes, I feel like I overstayed there, but it was for a purpose.”
It all leads to his professional debut this coming Thursday, and Law has done all his homework ahead of his grand premiere.
According to him, his adversary is an athlete who comes from a striking background like him – something he isn’t too worried about.
“Striking is his biggest strength, and I think I have enough skills to take that on,” he said.
“My biggest strengths are my takedown defense and wrestling, apart from my striking. We’ll definitely put on a good show, and I’m coming for that knockout.”
Malaysians eager to catch Law in action can tune in to the ONE Super App or ONE Championship’s YouTube channel at 4 pm on 20 June.
Instagram link #1: https://www.instagram.com/jaceomax/?hl=en
