Joshua Pacio Eager To Welcome All Comers En Route To World Title Rematch

Former ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Joshua Pacio returned to winning ways last week at ONE Fight Night 15, as he set his sights on cementing himself as the top challenger in the division after parting ways with the gold in 2022.

“The Passion” was too much for Mansur Malachiev to bear last Saturday, 7th October. He outworked his previously unbeaten foe over three rounds to pick up a unanimous decision from the judges.

Fans were graced with a new Joshua Pacio compared to the version seen in his World Title defeat to Jarred Brooks last December at ONE 164. 

More calm, controlled, and collected, the Filipino superstar clearly learned many lessons from his loss to “The Monkey God,” which he put to good use against Malachiev.

“Yes, of course. You know, I was throwing heavy shots, and I think it’s the damage category [where I won]. Yes, he took me down, but he didn’t damage me from my guard,” Pacio said.

“And like what I said, Jarred Brooks is heavier from the top position. So I was confident going into the guard game or on the ground. But, of course, the punches, he caught me with an awesome punch [on the left side of my face].”

“The Passion’s” win came at the end of three hard rounds, so he got plenty of time in action following 10 months away from competition. But while the performance was enough to seal the victory, Pacio believes it wasn’t his best.

The former divisional king is keen to earn a rematch, and he know’s he’ll have to show nothing but his finest skills to do so. 

Thus, Pacio is open to whatever comes next for him. Be it Brooks or another contender, he’s happy to take all comers en route back to the top.

“I think so. But honestly, I’m not impressed with my performance right now. I need to go to the gym again and work harder, you know?” he said.

“I wasn’t relaxed. I was concentrated on throwing the power shots because I saw the damage. And I was, like, eager to throw power shots.

“So it really got in my head – to finish him. But that’s not how it was supposed to happen. I should have been more relaxed and thrown my combinations more confidently. If they give me Jarred Brooks, I’ll grab it. Like what I’ve said, if they give me Bokang or someone else in the top five, I’ll still grab it.”