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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Catalan makes championship intentions known again

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Rene "The Challenger" Catalan sees himself competing for a ONE Championship World Title next, though no formal announcement has been made. 

Winner of his previous six matches, Catalan hopes to finally take a crack at current ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio in what will be a gigantic all-Filipino clash.

With ONE: MASTERS OF FATE – the last card in Manila this year ­– set for 8 November, it would be no surprise to see two of the best Filipinos in mixed martial arts go at it. 

“There’s already a possibility of me competing this November, but there isn’t an official announcement yet. I hope it pushes through and I hope it’s for the World Title,” Catalan said. “It’s an opportunity that I’ve waited for a long time. I have six straight wins, I hope it’s enough to prove that I deserve to fight for the World Title against Pacio.” 

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Sizing up Pacio, Catalan knows that he is up for a tough match – especially with an established team around him. 

If the bout happens, the 40-year-old is confident that he has the tools to shock everyone. 

“He’s really good, he has youth on his side and he has an excellent camp. There are a lot of people who can help him, and I know that I will be the underdog if we meet,” Catalan shared. 

“I am confident in this match. I will stay in front of him wherever this match goes.” 

For Catalan, a bout Pacio is a dream scenario for him.

The Asian Games Gold Medalist admitted that he is extra-motivated to face the renowned Team Lakay athlete. They have a rivalry that dates to the infancy of mixed martial arts in the Philippines. 

“I’ve heard a lot of things from their camp, from their supporters, that’s why I’m really fired up for this match,” Catalan shared. 

“We’ve heard everything from them from the start, I just want to prove something to them as they’ve always belittled us.”  

Armed with tremendous confidence, Catalan has a bold prediction even before the match is official. 

“I am really determined to win, that’s my advantage,” Catalan said. “Unanimous decision. That’s how I see this match is going. I’ll give everything when we meet. I won’t be giving an inch.” 

In the meantime, catch ONE: CENTURY, the biggest World Championship martial arts event in history. No organization has ever promoted two full-scale World Championship events in one day.

The Home Of Martial Arts breaks new ground as 28 World Champions compete in four World Title bouts, three World Grand Prix Championship Finals, and several World Champion versus World Champion matches at the famous Ryogoku Kokugikan on 13 October in Tokyo, Japan.

Download the ONE Super App to stay updated.

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