MANILA, Philippines — Filipino-American mixed martial artist Mark Striegl praised the Philippines’ growing commitment to grassroots sports development as the country hosted the 2026 Asian and Oceania Sambo Championships at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Malate, Manila.
Striegl, a two-time Southeast Asian Games Sambo gold medalist who also appeared alongside boxing icon Manny Pacquiao in Netflix’s Physical: Asia, said he was encouraged by the number of young athletes competing in the tournament.
“It’s great, just seeing the grassroots development. Sports are all about building character. I found myself in sports. I started wrestling when I was seven years old. Seeing the grassroots program here in the Philippines, especially in Sambo, it is fantastic,” Striegl said.
“Seeing the youth divisions yesterday, and seeing all the divisions… Such young athletes and such skilled athletes. It’s fantastic.”
The 38-year-old veteran owns an 18-5 mixed martial arts record and has fought in the UFC, ONE Championship, Universal Reality Combat Championship, and Pacific Xtreme Combat.
Striegl emphasized that sports help shape character, teaching discipline, resilience, and perseverance from an early age.
“I have done so many different combat arts. Sports really build character. You’ll learn to endure, be hardworking, resilient, and disciplined. I remember dieting when I was wrestling when I was 10 years old. Learning discipline at such a young age was great for me to develop as a person,” he said.
“Sports is important. It is so great to see events like this with so many young athletes.”
The Philippines also celebrated podium finishes in the tournament, highlighted by Sophia Nicole Novino’s silver medal in the women’s Under-47kg division after advancing to the final before falling to Kazakhstan’s Karakat Rakhybay.
The national team also bagged three bronze medals through Johan Matthew San Miguel (-58kg), Daniel Justin Virtudazo (-88kg), and Julian Henry Flores (-98kg) in the junior men’s combat sambo competition.
