Jean Claude Saclag settles for Asian Games silver

c/o POC/PSC Media

Jean Claude “The Dynamite” Saclag admitted he was disappointed after falling short of the gold medal in the men’s traditional -65kg mixed martial arts final at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, but said the experience has given him a clearer idea of what he needs to improve.

The Filipino fighter settled for silver after facing Tajikistan’s Otabek Rajabov in the gold-medal match. Saclag reached the final after defeating Japan’s Daisuke Murayama by unanimous decision in the semifinals. 

“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,” Saclag said.

He admitted that he had expected to perform better, but found it difficult to deal with 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 handshake after the match.

The silver medal was Saclag’s second Asian Games silver, following his finish in wushu at the 2014 Incheon Games. He said he had hoped to finally capture gold after coming close 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.

Despite the disappointment, Saclag explained that transitioning to MMA was not particularly difficult because of his background with Team Lakay in Baguio. 

His experience in wushu sanda and kickboxing helped develop his striking, but the final exposed areas of his ground game that still need work.

“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 use the experience as motivation when he returns to the Philippines.

“Gagamitin ko itong sakit para mag-improve pa. Kailangan ko pang husayan ang ground game ko,” he added.

He also admitted that he became too eager after the opening round, which affected his execution of the game plan. The strategy was to rely on his striking, maintain distance, and avoid being taken down.

“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.

Although he fell short of the gold, Saclag remained grateful for reaching the final and bringing home a medal for the country.

“Sayang, pero thankful pa rin ako. Nakarating tayo sa finals at safe pa ako,” he said.

Looking ahead, Saclag said he intends to focus on improving his ground game over the next two to three months, taking the lessons from the final as motivation for his next chapter in MMA.

Gilas Women 3x3 secure back-to-back wins in Asiad pool play

c/o POC/PSC Media

Gilas Pilipinas Women’s 3x3 team opened its Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games campaign with a bang on Tuesday, stunning powerhouse Mongolia, 17-12, before routing Macau, 21-4, at the Kinjo Futo Station Square Venue here.

Kacey Dela Rosa overcame an early ankle injury to lead the Philippines past the higher-ranked Mongolians, before the nationals carried the momentum into their second game to sweep their opening assignments in Group C.

The 2-0 start assured Gilas Women of a place in the play-ins, while keeping its sights on the group’s top seed, which comes with a direct berth in the quarterfinals. The strong opening also mirrored the unbeaten start of the Philippine men’s 3x3 team in its own campaign.

Dela Rosa shook off a right-ankle sprain suffered just two minutes into the opening game and returned to dominate inside, finishing with 10 points and three rebounds.

"It (injury) is not an excuse para mag-stop sa paglaban. I came back and we got the win," the 22-year-old Dela Rosa said in an interview with One Sports.

"I saw my team and the opponents were up already, parang doon na nag-click na they need me inside. Kaya 'yun, I tied my shoes and came back in," added the Ateneo standout, who was part of the Philippines’ gold medal-winning 3x3 team at the 2025 Southeast Asian Games.

With Dela Rosa controlling the paint, the nationals erased an 8-5 deficit and unleashed a 10-3 run to move ahead, 15-11, with 1:03 left before holding off the Mongolians the rest of the way.

Kennan Ka added three points, while Amyah Espanol and Victoria Pasilang contributed two apiece to secure the victory for coach Anton Altamirano’s squad.

"Mongolia is one of the top teams in the world... And the first game's always the hardest, but we were able to really manage good possessions, especially when Kacey was down. We made really good stops to get the victory," said Altamirano, who also praised Dela Rosa for battling through the injury.

"She's a tough girl. She's been through stuff like this. It's a testament to her character and mental toughness," he added.

Pasilang and Ka took charge in the second game as the Philippines dismantled Macau, with Pasilang pouring in eight points and Ka seven, as Dela Rosa was given limited playing time.

Dela Rosa still chipped in four points, though, while Espanol delivered an all-around performance with two points, eight rebounds and five assists to complete the sweep.

The Gilas Women will shoot for the No. 1 seed on Wednesday when they face fellow unbeaten Malaysia at 5:05 p.m.

Malaysia also finished opening day at 2-0 after beating Macau, 14-3, and Mongolia, 17-11. 

The Philippines, however, sits atop Group C by virtue of a superior point differential.

New postseason format beckons for upcoming UAAP Women's Football season

c/o NU Athletics Office

Matches Wednesday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium
2 p.m. – DLSU vs UP
4:30 p.m. – UST vs Ateneo
7 p.m. – FEU vs NU

Four-time defending champion Far Eastern University begins its quest for an unprecedented fifth straight UAAP women’s football title as an expanded Season 89 tournament kicks off today (Wednesday) at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

The Lady Tamaraws headline a six-team field that also includes last year’s finalist De La Salle University, third-placer Ateneo de Manila University, perennial contenders University of Santo Tomas and University of the Philippines, and newcomer National University.

FEU opens its title defense against NU at 7 p.m. in the main game of Wednesday’s triple-header. La Salle and UP clash at 2 p.m. to open the tournament, followed by UST and Ateneo at 4:30 p.m.

With the addition of the Lady Bulldogs, the tournament will adopt a Final Four format for the first time. The top two teams at the end of the elimination round will earn a twice-to-beat advantage over the third- and fourth-placers in the semifinals.

FEU head coach Let Dimzon welcomed the changes, saying the arrival of NU should make the competition more exciting.

“I think it's very good for women's football and for the UAAP,” said FEU coach Let Dimzon. “Having NU join the competition makes the league more exciting because of the new format.”

Despite the pressure that comes with defending the crown and chasing a five-peat, Dimzon wants her players to remain focused on the task at hand rather than the potential milestone.

"Of course, there is always pressure when you are the defending champion, especially after winning four consecutive championships. But I don't want the players to focus too much on the five-peat," she said.

"For us, the goal is to focus on the process—how we train, how we compete, how we improve every game, and how we play for FEU. If we do those things well, then hopefully the results will follow."

Standing in FEU’s way on opening day is an NU side eager to make an immediate impression in its first UAAP campaign.

Lady Bulldogs coach Ryan Payson said the team has been preparing for its Season 89 debut for more than a year and is excited to finally test itself against the league’s established programs.

Rather than be intimidated by the challenge of facing more experienced teams, Payson wants NU to begin proving itself by competing with the defending champions and producing a positive result.

"Well, for one, the whole team, including the coaching staff, is very excited because it is the first time NU will participate in a women's football game,” said Payson. “So lahat ng players ko, excited now to play sa first game against FEU — a very competitive team — but we will try our best to be at par with everything here in the UAAP.”

Opening the day is a matchup between Season 88 finalist La Salle and UP, which is looking to return to the podium for the first time since finishing third in Season 86.

For UP coach Anto Gonzales, who guided the Fighting Maroons to the championship in Season 78, reaching the Final Four is the primary objective this season.

"We joined the PWL and were able to give ample exposure to all of the players from our UAAP pool. We have six new players — one is Aurea Reaso, a senior who missed last season due to a knee injury, and two others who served their residency," he said.

UST and Ateneo, meanwhile, begin their respective campaigns hoping to build on their recent podium finishes.

The Lady Booters won bronze in Season 87, while the Blue Eagles claimed third place in Season 88, giving both teams plenty of motivation to make another deep run this season.

UST coach Marjo Allado said his squad enters the tournament well prepared after a competitive offseason, with players fighting for spots in the final lineup.

"Maayos naman 'yung preparation at 'yung players—including 'yung mga galing high school program na nag-move up na sa senior team. Players are ready, and during the camp, meron laging competition sa trainings para lang makasama sa final 23 line-up," he said.

Ateneo head coach Bob Manlulo, meanwhile, is keeping his team’s objectives straightforward: improve its system, develop its rookies, and translate that progress into better results despite missing out on preseason tournaments.

“We’re hoping to improve our performance this year by achieving better results and improvement in every game,” Manlulo said.

The longtime Blue Eagles mentor also welcomed the new Final Four format, saying it gives the women’s division more opportunities to compete while providing teams with a clearer path to the Finals.

"For us, it’s a big chance," Manlulo added. "Every game is crucial, and having that Final Four setup gives us and every other team a real shot if we stay consistent throughout the elimination round."

POC still believes in eight-gold Asian Games target

 

Despite a few early roadblocks by Day 3 of the 2026 Asian Games, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Cong. Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino remains absolutely firmly planted in his prediction that Team Pilipinas will bring home at least 8 Gold Medals!

In an exclusive interview, the POC Chief made it clear that he isn't backing down from his high hopes for the national squad.

"Walang atrasan 'to. Sabi ko nga, hindi naman masama ang mangarap eh. Wala namang bayad 'yan, libre 'yun," Tolentino stated, emphasizing that the tournament is just getting started.

When asked who he expects to deliver the gold, he quickly rattled off a powerhouse list of remaining contenders: MMA, Alex Eala, Carlos Yulo, EJ Obiena, the Boxers, Athletics (Busong), 3x3 Basketball, Mobile Legends, and Jiu-Jitsu.

"Lampas sampu pa 'yun. So hindi pa tayo nawawalan ng pag-asa. Definitely, meron tayong golds," he proudly declared.

Tolentino highlighted that surpassing the previous 4-gold medal haul is highly achievable, noting that today's athletes are much better supported with funding, training allowances, and crucial foreign coaches to match up against heavily funded naturalized athletes from other nations.

His ultimate advice to the team? "Laban lang. No replay... gamit din ng strategy. Pag lamang na, wag nang gigil." 

The gold rush is still on! Keep the faith, Pilipinas!

Gilas seeks sweep in Asiad men's 3x3 pool play

c/o POC/PSC Media

Gilas Pilipinas Men’s 3x3 Team tries to keep the Philippine basketball campaign alive in the 20th Asian Games when they face Kazakhstan on Wednesday.

Gilas Pilipinas 3x3 is coming off a 2-0 start after beating Asian no. 1 Mongolia, 19-12, and Sri Lanka, 21-12, on the opening day of competition at Kinjo Futo Station Square as it heads into the crucial Pool A match.

A win over Kazakhstan at 12:15 p.m. would give the Philippines a sweep of the elimination round and an outright ticket to the quarterfinals, bringing the young squad one step closer to a medal.

Kazakhstan lost to Mongolia after beating Sri Lanka in the first two games of the tournament to end up with a 1-1 record.

Nic Cabañero of the Binan Tatak Gel team in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, has been the main man in Gilas’ hot start, scoring seven points against Mongolia before adding another eight against Sri Lanka. Timely scoring from Santo Tomas’ Koji Buenaflor and Luis Pablo of La Salle has also helped, but the Filipinos’ defensive pressure has enabled them to dictate the tempo in both games.

Cabañero, Buenaflor, Pablo and Doy Dungo, also of La Salle, arrived in Nagoya after just about a month of preparation but their familiarity from the UAAP and other competitions has helped them quickly develop chemistry.

The Philippines also comes into Wednesday’s game on the back of a rise to No. 27 in the world men’s 3x3 rankings, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas said.

But the Filipinos are not assuming anything.

“Dito sa 3x3, anybody can beat anyone, so we consider everyone a threat,” Pablo said.

That mindset could be important against Kazakhstan as Gilas seeks not only to finish the pool stage unbeaten.

China shattered the defending champion 5x5 team's bid to retain its title, beating the Philippines, 105-61, in the preliminary round. The 44-point drubbing ended the Philippines' hopes of repeating their Hangzhou triumph.

Saclag earns way into Asiad MMA final

c/o POC/PSC Media

Jean Claude Saclag moved within one victory of giving the Philippines its first Asian Games' gold medal in mixed martial arts after dominating Japan’s Daisuke Murayama in the men’s traditional -65kg semifinal on Monday at the Nagoya City Inae Sports Center.

Saclag dictated the pace from the opening bell, using his superior striking to keep Murayama from unleashing his dangerous ground game. 

The Filipino’s aggressive approach paid off as he secured a unanimous decision and a spot in Tuesday’s gold-medal showdown.

“Ramdam ko na mas malakas ako. Na-overpower ko siya,” said Saclag, who will face Tajikistan’s Otabek Rajabov for the gold medal on Sept. 22.

With a historic gold within reach, Saclag intends to stick with the same aggressive yet disciplined strategy in the championship bout.

“Sanay naman tayo lumaban sa finals, kaya mas lalo akong na-inspire. Iba pa rin ’to. Asian Games ’to, eh,” Saclag said in a video interview with One Sports after the match.

Saclag acknowledged that Murayama’s strength on the ground made him wary of engaging too closely, forcing him to rely on distance, precision striking and takedown defense throughout the semifinal.

“Kailangan keep natin ’yung distance, saktan natin siya, tapos depensahan natin ’yung takedowns niya,” he said.

Saclag’s victory gave the Philippines another guaranteed medal in mixed martial arts, following Carlos Alvarez’s bronze in the men’s traditional -77kg division.

The 27-year-old Alvarez fought Kazakhstan’s taller Yerkingali Burkutalin in a tight semifinal, but lost by a 0-3 decision, settling for bronze after a spirited performance.

Alvarez booked his place in the medal round by sweeping Indonesia’s Ananda Wahyu Setyo Prabowo, 3-0, in the quarterfinals. 

He battled gamely against Burkutalin but could not secure a place in the championship match.

Gilas 3x3 secures strong start in Asian Games

GILAS Pilipinas Men’s 3x3 Team buckled down to business on opening day, sweeping its first two assignments in a blazing Group A start in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 on Monday.

The young Philippine side, composed of players from the UAAP and MPBL, opened its campaign with a 19-12 triumph over Mongolia, one of the established powers in the Asian 3x3 basketball scene.

Facing a Mongolian team with a strong reputation in the region, the newly assembled Filipino squad showed little hesitation, controlling the half-court from start to finish.

The Philippines shot an impressive 55 percent from the field despite windy conditions, more than twice Mongolia’s 27 percent, while also winning the rebounding battle, 22-18.

Nic Cabanero, who plays for the Binan Tatak Gel in the MPBL, spearheaded the Philippine attack, while UST’s Koji Buenaflor was flawless from the 1-point line, converting all six of his attempts.

The Filipinos carried the momentum into their second game, overwhelming Sri Lanka after a slow start to win, 21-12, and complete a perfect opening day.

“We just needed to stay composed. ‘Yung defense talaga nagdala sa panalo. Nakita natin, we struggled at the start, but it’s not how you start the game, but how you finish,” said the 6’3” Cabanero.

With its defense finally clicking, Gilas needed only seven minutes and 12 seconds to reach the 21-point target, shooting a sizzling 67 percent from the field in an efficient offensive display.

Cabanero again led the charge with eight points and six rebounds, while La Salle forward Manuel Pablo and Buenaflor added six points apiece.

The Philippine men’s team now turns its attention to Kazakhstan on Wednesday, with a victory securing them a place in the quarterfinals.

“Grateful kami that we got the 2-0 win, but this is the crucial part na, ‘yung quick turnaround heading into the next game, we have to move on because it’s just the beginning,” said the 6’7” Pablo.