Joshua “The Passion” Pacio hopes to boost his bid for a shot at strawweight title when he faces Thai Pongsiri “The Smiling Assassin” Mitsatit in the ONE: REIGN OF KINGS on July 27 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The 27-year-old Pacio has accomplished much inside the ONE Championship cage in a short span of time, but his showdown with the Thai warrior is something he can’t afford to lose.
If he wins, he will earn a shot at the ONE Strawweight World Championship being held by reigning titleholder Yoshitaka Naito.
Surrounded by world champions, the martial arts prodigy is fueled by inspiration emanating from his Team Lakay teammates who have reached the pinnacle of the sport.
“I am inspired and amazed with the things going on around me,” said Pacio.
The two men match up very well on paper, with Pacio’s wushu striking pedigree going up against Mitsatit’s powerful Muay Thai. Fans are certainly expecting an all-action, high-octane striking battle between the two.
“This bout, as is any, is honestly very important to me,” said Pacio.
“He is obviously a very good striker given his Muay Thai background, but what makes him dangerous is that he is very well-rounded. His wrestling and grappling is also on a high level. We match up quite well.”
