Joshua Pacio silences doubters with emphatic ONE Championship title protection

Joshua Pacio answered each query about his future the one approach he is aware of how: By profitable.

Simply eight months after flyweight ruler Yuya Wakamatsu handed him the primary knockout lack of his profession, Pacio stormed again with one of many most interesting performances of his illustrious run, choking out Russian rival Mansur Malachiev to retain the ONE strawweight MMA world championship.

The assertion victory got here in the primary occasion of ONE Championship’s The Internal Circle 21 card at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday.

Pacio did greater than defend his coveted crown. He reminded the blended martial arts world why it has by no means paid to rely him out.

“The Ardour” entered the bout carrying extra questions than momentum, after his bid to perform two-division glory in November 2025 ended when Wakamatsu knocked him out of their flyweight world title conflict.

Standing throughout from him was a harmful challenger: Malachiev had pieced collectively three straight victories since their razor-close assembly almost three years in the past, and believed he had lastly solved the Filipino.

Decided to go away no room for debate, the Lions Nation MMA co-founder had no intention of revisiting the scorecards.

Their first encounter went the complete three rounds and left followers divided over the decision. This time, with the ONE strawweight MMA title at stake over 5 rounds, Pacio sought a much more convincing end.

Malachiev, nonetheless, almost authored one himself.

The Dagestani instantly imposed the wrestling that had fueled his latest surge. He secured an early takedown, established high management, and shortly threatened Pacio with a good rear-naked choke that put the defending titleholder in severe hazard.

For a quick second, Pacio discovered himself trapped within the challenger’s world. As an alternative of panicking, the Filipino relied on the work his staff had put in all through coaching camp.

“We ready laborious for this,” Pacio mentioned in his post-fight interview. “My placing coach and my grappling coach blended every part collectively as a result of that is blended martial arts. We knew he would go to his bread and butter, and that’s the takedown.”

The hours of preparation quickly paid off.

Pacio patiently defended the submission till Malachiev’s grip loosened. He reversed the place, unloaded a collection of elbows and quick punches, and stored the motion on the canvas as an alternative of permitting the Russian to scramble again to his ft.

Moments later, Pacio took Malachiev’s again and attacked with a rear-naked choke of his personal. The Russian initially peeled away the Filipino’s arm, however the reigning king calmly adjusted his grip and cinched the maintain even tighter.

With nowhere left to flee in the course of the ring, Malachiev misplaced consciousness, forcing referee Mohammad Sulaiman to wave off the competition on the 4:23 mark of the opening spherical.

Solely after the victory did Pacio reveal how shut he had come to seeing his reign come to an abrupt finish.

“Man, I almost received submitted by a rear-naked choke,” he mentioned. “It is all about perseverance. I got here again and received the rear-naked choke to win.”

The dramatic turnaround completely mirrored the mindset that has outlined Pacio all through his profession.

“That is why I am right here,” he mentioned. “It is by no means simple.”

The triumph marked Pacio’s second profitable protection of the ONE strawweight MMA world championship in his third reign. It additionally earned him a $US50,000 efficiency bonus, improved his file to 24-5, and produced the tenth submission victory of his skilled profession.

Malachiev, in the meantime, slipped to 14-2, with each defeats coming by the hands of the Filipino famous person.

Requested what comes subsequent, Pacio sounded each bit like a king comfy on his throne.

“I am on the high of the meals chain,” he mentioned. “I am the champion. Whoever ONE Championship provides me, I’ll face them. However I am finding out the highest 5 on this division daily. I am taking a look at their strengths and weaknesses, so I am prepared.”