Joshua Pacio wants to put on a show at ONE 173 for the Filipino youth: “I need to inspire them”

Joshua Pacio | Photo credit: ONE Championship
Joshua Pacio | Photo credit: ONE Championship

For reigning ONE strawweight MMA world champion Joshua Pacio of the Philippines, his quest for two-division supremacy is much bigger than himself.

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‘The Passion’ will challenge ONE flyweight MMA world champion Yuya Wakamatsu of Japan for 26 pounds of gold at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri on November 16 at Tokyo's Ariake Arena.

Pacio has always fought with the weight of an entire nation resting on his shoulders. Now, as he enters the biggest match of his life, the 29-year-old from Baguio City revealed his grand mission.

More than personal glory, Pacio wants to be an instrument of inspiration for the next generation of Filipino warriors.

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"I'm not just trying to be the two-division World Champion, I will become a two-division world champion this November 16 for the Filipino youths in my country. And I need to inspire them so that they will see that they can too, someday, be a champion in their own chosen profession," Pacio declared at the ONE 173 Tokyo press conference.
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However, this legacy-defining opportunity won’t come easy. Pacio must overcome “Little Piranha”, who climbed the 135-pound MMA division’s top ladder with his menacing, destructive power.

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Joshua Pacio says he'll show Filipino pride at ONE 173

Joshua Pacio deservingly earned this shot at two-division supremacy after unifying the strawweight MMA belts against his bitter rival Jarred Brooks.

Knowing the prestige that comes from ruling two weight classes simultaneously, the Lions Nation MMA ward vows to showcase his best form yet.

Pacio said during the event presser:

"I know since I started ONE Championship, the Filipino fans have been one of my strengths, and they're one of the reasons I became a champion. And November 16, we're competing against the best flyweight in the world."

Follow Sportskeeda and ONE Championship for the latest updates on this champion vs. champion showdown.

Follow One Championship News, Schedule & Results at Sportskeeda.

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Edited by Saiyed Adeem Karim
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