For months, former two-time ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio has worked religiously on his skill set after losing his throne to current divisional king Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks.
Now it’s time to put those skills to the test.
Top-ranked Pacio returns to action when he takes on Dagestani wrestling sensation and #5-ranked contender Mansur Malachiev at ONE Fight Night 15: Tawanchai vs. Superbon on October 7 inside Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
It’s moments like these – when he’s facing a dangerous wrestler like Malachiev – where Pacio can truly show off his improvements after spending two months in the United States.
“My stint there wasn’t that long, and I wished to have stayed longer. But it’s still a privilege to go there and train with some of the best in the world,” he said.
“Those are the things that I’m bringing with me, other than the techniques, it’s how they train. Training sessions are concise, you can pick and choose what to work on in a day, that’s something that I’m bringing with me.”
He’ll have to be on point against Malachiev. After all, the Russian comes in with an 11-0 record, including an impressive win over Jeremy Miado in his debut.
Malachiev smothered Miado from start to finish before getting the D’arce choke late in the first round to score his ninth finish in 11 matches.
That said, Pacio has the perfect chance to show off his new tool set.
“I can truly say I’m much more confident on the ground right now. Now I can say that I know what to do in various situations, like for example, being taken down,” he said.
“Now I have a lot of moves in my arsenal to get out of those precarious positions. It’s still hard, but at least now I won’t be a sitting duck during situations like that.
“When I get taken down now, I can say that I have built the necessary techniques to get out of it efficiently. It’s very systematic. When I get taken down now, I believe I have the tools to stand up or counter my opponent.”
The addition of Pacio and Malachiev brings more excitement to what’s already a loaded card.
In the main event, ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai defends his strap against Thai superstar Superbon Singha Mawynn in one of the most highly anticipated striking matches in ONE Championship’s history.