What was shaping up to be a career-defining moment for ONE strawweight champion Joshua Pacio instead unfolded into a night touched with quiet heartbreak, as flyweight king Yuya Wakamatsu halted the Filipino star’s quest for history inside Tokyo’s Ariake Arena.
Pacio entered the co-main event of ONE 173 carrying the hopes of becoming the first Filipino mixed martial artist to capture major world titles in two separate divisions.
Those aspirations slipped from his grasp after he absorbed a technical knockout loss to the reigning flyweight ruler on Sunday, November 16.
The 29-year-old Baguio City native moved up in weight, believing he could carve his name among the sport’s greats. Yet Wakamatsu, determined to keep his crown in his possession, shifted the momentum in front of an energized home crowd.
The opening moments gave Pacio a flicker of promise, as he stunned the defending champion with a crisp left hook. However, the division’s top dog steadied himself, slowed the pace, and steered the action toward the fence, where he began to assert control.
A tight exchange soon proved costly for Pacio. A compact strike caught him off balance and sent him pitching forward, allowing Wakamatsu to unleash a wave of punches as the Filipino tried to regain his footing.
By the second round, “Little Piranha” had fully settled into his rhythm. A powerful right hand landed flush on Pacio’s temple, leaving the challenger dazed and searching for a defensive lifeline.
The Lions Nation MMA representative’s attempt to scramble for a takedown was not enough to stall the surging titleholder.
With Pacio hunched over and struggling to recover, Wakamatsu latched onto the upper body and delivered a series of knees that forced referee Mohamad Sulaiman to step in at the 54-second mark of round two.
The setback marks Pacio’s first defeat since December 2022 and the only knockout loss of his decorated career, dropping him to 23-5.
On the other hand, Wakamatsu improved to 20-6, notched his 14th victory by knockout, secured a $50,000 bonus, and completed a successful defense of the flyweight crown he claimed earlier this year against Adriano Moraes.
