Pacio, Lions Nation MMA aim to bring back MMA world title belts to PH
"Marami tayong trabahong gagawin after this," ONE No. 1 strawweight MMA contender Joshua Pacio says
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — No. 1-ranked ONE Championship strawweight mixed martial arts (MMA) contender Joshua “The Passion” Pacio said it is high time for the Philippines to have world champions in the sport anew.
“We are aiming to get back the belt for the Philippines and not just (for) strawweight,” Pacio said at the Lions Nation MMA victory party last weekend in Benguet. “Marami tayong trabahong gagawin after this.”
The 27-year-old former champion is coming off a clear-cut unanimous decision win over his weight division’s No. 5 contender Mansur Malachiev last October 7 as part of the ONE Fight Night 15 card in Bangkok, Thailand.
Pacio entered that match with a mindset to prove that he still belongs among the elite fighters conversation in his weight class, and he did let his performance do the talking by dominating the three-round encounter.
“‘Yung statement na gusto kong ipakita is I am here fighting with the best athletes in the world, fighting at the highest level with Mansur, Bokang (Masunyane), (ONE strawweight MMA champion) Jarred Brooks,” Pacio said.
“I’m just so happy to compete with all of them and I will prove that I really belong not just in the top five of the strawweight division but to be a champion again.”
Of course, five Filipinos held ONE MMA titles concurrently at one point: Pacio at strawweight, Eduard “Landslide” Folayang at lightweight, Honorio “The Rock” Banario at featherweight, Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio at flyweight, and Brandon “The Truth” Vera at heavyweight.
That highlight is something Pacio wants to be recreated, starting with himself as he definitely still has several years in his prime.
During the victory party, the La Trinidad native also recalled how difficult the past 10 months have been as he and his stablemates left their previous affiliation, Team Lakay, to form their own group.
“It’s been hard, challenging. I know (I had to) make a decision of my own,” he said.
He and Folayang also embarked on a two-month United States trip to train with different gyms and garner ideas before charting what eventually became their next foray in the MMA industry.
The risk has clearly paid off with both scoring decisive victories in the last two weekends to bolster their careers.
“I’m so blessed because I know I am not following a boss but following a leader and that is Kuya Eduard,” Pacio said of his stable co-founder Folayang.
“I just wanna thank (all my teammates) for guiding me. Nabuo ang Lions Nation and I know it is not an accident.”
Photo from ONE Championship
