Jean Claude “The Dynamite” Saclag walked away from the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games with a silver medal and a clear list of things to fix. The Filipino fighter fell short of gold in the men’s traditional -65kg mixed martial arts final.

Saclag reached the final by beating Japan’s Daisuke Murayama on a unanimous decision in the semifinals. He then faced Tajikistan’s Otabek Rajabov in the gold medal match, settling for silver after a tough battle.

Inside a Painful Loss to Rajabov

Saclag admitted the result stung beyond just the scoreboard. “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.

He admitted he expected to perform better but struggled against Rajabov’s strength 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,” he said.

Saclag also recalled how his opponent acknowledged the power of his punches during their post-match handshake — a small silver lining in an otherwise painful defeat.

He pointed to a costly shift in strategy as another factor in the loss. His game plan called for striking from range and avoiding takedowns, but he admitted losing focus after a strong opening round.

“Expected ko na ‘yung ganung laban. Ang game plan sana, strike, strike, tapos iwas. Hindi ako magpap takedown. Pero noong second round, siguro nagmadali ako dahil akala ko nakuha ko na ‘yung first round,” Saclag said.

A Familiar Heartbreak, A New Chapter Ahead

The silver was Saclag’s second at the Asian Games, following a runner-up finish in wushu at the 2014 Incheon Games. He had hoped this final would finally deliver the gold that eluded him more than a decade ago.

“Sinabi ko sa sarili ko na ito na ‘yung pagkakataon kong mag-gold, kasi noong 2014, natalo rin ako sa finals sa wushu,” Saclag said, reflecting on the parallel between his two near-misses.

Despite the disappointment, Saclag said his transition from wushu and kickboxing into MMA was smooth, thanks to his background with Team Lakay in Baguio. That striking foundation carried him to the final.

“Hindi naman ako nahirapan sa transition, kasi iyon naman ang background ng team namin sa Baguio. Pero na-realize ko na malayo pa ang kailangan kong i-improve sa ground game,” he said.

Saclag said he plans to spend the next two to three months sharpening his ground game once he returns home. “Gagamitin ko itong sakit para mag-improve pa. Kailangan ko pang husayan ang ground game ko,” he added.

Even with the gold slipping away for a second time, Saclag said he remains grateful for reaching the final and bringing home a medal for the Philippines.

“Sayang, pero thankful pa rin ako. Nakarating tayo sa finals at safe pa ako,” he said, framing the setback as motivation heading into his next chapter in MMA.