Joshua Pacio is the Undisputed ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion, unifying the belts after a sensational TKO win over rival Jarred Brooks in the main event of ONE 171.
It’s been a while since the now undisputed ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio performed in front of his compatriots.
So Filipino fans in Qatar made sure to remind him of what that feels like.
A partisan Pinoy crowd was with Pacio every step of the way. Pacio drew oohs and aahs from the thousands of Filipino migrants in the Middle East as he scored a second-round TKO win over Jarred Brooks in the main event of ONE 171: Qatar at Lusail Sports Arena.
From the fighter introductions to the fight proper, Pinoys were screaming their lungs out for their world champion, and the Lions Nation MMA representative made sure to repay them with something to remember.
“The energy was like in Manila, honestly,” Pacio said.
“I [was] ready to go five full rounds. I [was] not looking for a finish, you know. I [was] looking to dominate. Honestly, the first connection, the first hook that I threw, it landed on his nose, and I saw his eyes move, he [was] afraid,” he added.
“The first connection that I made, I knew that he was afraid and [was] gonna take the fight to the ground, and that's what he did. But in the second round, I knew I [was] gonna control him.”
Although performing in front of a passionate crowd against a man who seemingly had his number, Pacio wasn’t too worried. He’s used to these types of matches given that he’s been competing in high-level bouts in ONE Championship for a decade now.
“The pressure is my friend,” he said.
“You need to be friends with the pressure, but you know, I'm used to it. 10 years in ONE Championship, I didn't expect it. I was 19 years old, and now I'm 29, so I'm used to it.”
But he did let out a heave of emotions as soon as the referee stopped the bout and, for him, it was his way of letting go of all the pressure, having known the job was finally done.
“It [was] just a release for me because there [were] a lot of people talking behind me, doubting me, you can't do it. You know, at the end of the day, I'm just very focused on winning and training,” Pacio said.
“I've been through a lot because of injuries, but it's just a relief. There's so much joy and happiness. That's it.”