FIFTH-RANKED ONE Championship bantamweight MMA contender Jeremy “The Juggernaut” Pacatiw knows he has to show up to his next fight if he wants to make a case for World Title contendership.
Now in the top-five of the bantamweight MMA division, Pacatiw must prove that he can beat fellow contenders when he battles fourth-ranked Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu. This happens at ONE Fight Night 29: Rodrigues vs. McManamon this Saturday, March 8, inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Facing someone higher than him in the rankings, the Lions Nation MMA representative knows he can’t falter.
“Since it’s a battle of top-five fighters, this is a much bigger opportunity for me,” he said.
“I want to move up the rankings, and the best way to do it is beat higher ranked fighters than me. That’s the motivation for me, continue to climb up the rankings.”
Pacatiw knows a win here might put him next to teammate and second-ranked bantamweight MMA contender Stephen Loman. After all, both fighters are chasing divisional king Fabricio Andrade.
He also understands how a loss could send him out of the rankings.
“I have to do my part. I have to prepare because we’re both here now. He’s number four, and I’m at number five. If I win, maybe I’ll take his spot. If I lose, I could lose this spot,” he said.
“That’s why this fight is so crucial for me. I want to win. I need to win. I have to make sure I get my hands raised after.”
But aside from his positioning in the rankings, equally important to him is getting one back for the Philippines. He’s facing a guy who’s tormented countless Filipinos in the past – four to be exact – and he wants to be the fighter to end that reign of terror.
“There’s a certain pressure on me. Of course I’m not gonna say that I’m not feeling it because, after all, I’ve seen him beat four Filipinos already. And I don’t want to be the fifth guy. That’s my mindset now,” Pacatiw said.
“But it’s more motivation for me than pressure in this fight.”