By James Sablan
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Variety News Staff
SAIPAN-BORN Muay Thai standouts Jesse and Roman Concepcion added another milestone to their combat sports journey last week with standout performances at the 2026 TBA Classic Muay Thai World Championships, held June 17–21 in Des Moines, Iowa.
Facing strict weight cuts and older, more experienced opponents, the duo showcased the determination of island athletes, with Jesse capturing his fourth national title and Roman securing a hard-fought second-place finish.
For Jesse, the tournament marked another step in his development inside the ring. Since winning his first belt at the same promotion last year, he has steadily built on his success and fulfilled a promise to his coaching staff to collect championship titles.
However, securing his fourth national title required him to overcome a major challenge before stepping into the ring: the weight cut.
“The toughest part was the weight cut,” Jesse said in an interview with Variety. “At check-in, I was 130.9 pounds, and later that same week I had to go up to 139.8. My fight weight is 132, so I had to cut significantly the night before the bout. On championship day, I made weight at 132.8. That was the biggest challenge I had to overcome this time.”
Jesse’s disciplined execution paid off, as he delivered a dominant performance on championship Sunday to secure his fourth title. For the four-time national champion, each milestone carries added meaning.
“Each title has come with more experience and growth in the ring,” Jesse said. “Every step I take toward winning titles brings me closer to my long-term goal of competing in ONE Championship.”
Jesse defeated Horacio Teran via unanimous decision to claim the national title.
Already a two-time national champion, younger brother Roman took a bold approach to his trip to Iowa. Turning 13 on the day of the tournament, his family chose to bypass his usual division and move him up in both age and weight classes in search of tougher competition.
Facing a bracket dominated by 14- and 15-year-olds, the young fighter refused to be intimidated.
“I wanted to fight,” Roman said. “I train with adults every day, and I enjoy competing, so I told my parents I wanted that challenge.”
Roman advanced through the bracket with dominant performances to reach the national championship bout. The final match proved to be a back-and-forth battle, but he ultimately fell short, losing by split decision to Tommy Lovan.
Despite the narrow defeat, Roman said he is already using the experience as motivation for his next fight.
“It was a close fight. My opponent was older and more experienced, but next time I’m going to turn it up and apply more pressure,” Roman said. “I know what I need to improve, and I’ll be ready to execute it. [The loss] is going to be my main focus during this training camp.”
Although both brothers found success, there will be little time for rest as they are scheduled to travel to Thailand in July, transitioning from domestic competition to the international stage.
For Jesse, the opportunity to showcase island talent globally is a major source of motivation.
“This is exactly what I train for,” he said. “I want to reach the top, and this is another step in that direction. I’m proud to represent where I’m from and show that even coming from a small island, hard work and dedication can take you anywhere.”
James Sablan has been a sports reporter for Variety since 2013. He was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College and covers all local sports.
