JOSHUA Pacio may have fallen short in his bid to become the first Filipino two-division MMA world champion, but the Lions Nation MMA representative is taking the setback in stride as he looks ahead to the next chapter of his career.
The 29-year-old Baguio City native rolled the dice when he moved up in weight to challenge Yuya Wakamatsu for the ONE Flyweight MMA World Title in the co-main event of ONE 173 last Sunday, November 16.
Pacio opened the super-fight with a statement, dropping Wakamatsu with a sharp left hook inside Tokyo’s Ariake Arena. But after surviving the early scare, the Japanese hard-hitter gradually turned the tide midway through the opening round.
A well-placed elbow against the cage fence rattled Pacio and left him in danger for the remainder of the frame, as Wakamatsu poured on heavy ground-and-pound.
“The Passion” weathered the initial storm, but the end came in the second round when Wakamatsu connected with a clean right straight.
As Pacio scrambled to stay alive, “Little Piranha” wrapped his arms around the Filipino star’s upper body and unleashed a barrage of knee strikes, prompting the referee to step in and call a halt to the contest.
It was a tough defeat for the reigning strawweight king — the end of his quest for a second world title and the first knockout loss of his career.
Still, Pacio refused to make excuses, giving full credit to Wakamatsu for his performance.
“It is what it is. Yuya was the better man that night in Tokyo, and I take my hat off to him. Every fight teaches you something — win or lose, there’s always a lesson,” he told this article’s author in an exclusive interview.
Though the sting of the loss lingers, Pacio is choosing to focus on the positives.
“This isn’t new territory for me. I believe God has a plan for me, one that isn’t meant to harm but to give hope and a future. This setback will only fuel me to become a better athlete,” he said.
Pacio came within reach of Philippine sports history, a feat that would have further cemented his legacy.
And while he came up short this time, Pacio knows the road to greatness is rarely linear — noting that it took him two attempts across two years before he first captured ONE Championship gold.
“It simply wasn’t my time. It’s as straightforward as that,” he shared. “But I know my moment will come. I had my first world title shot in 2016 and lost, yet two years later, I won the belt. So I trust that my time will come again.”
For now, Pacio’s immediate future has little to do with the cage.
Fresh off his flight from Tokyo on Tuesday, November 18, he shifted his attention to the final preparations for his upcoming wedding to longtime partner Anna.
Once the wedding and honeymoon celebrations conclude, Pacio plans to return to the drawing board — refreshed, refocused, and ready to map out his next move.
“I can’t say much yet. I have an important celebration to attend this December — a new chapter in my life that I get to share with the love of my life,” he stated.
“After that, we can talk business. I’m still the strawweight king, and I fully intend to defend my crown.”
