Lions Nation MMA Joshua Pacio will be back in action when he faces Mansur Malachiev at ONE Fight Night 15 at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on Oct. 7.
Pacio, the former ONE strawweight world champion, has been training hard in Baguio and Benguet even during inclement weather and before ONE announced his fight next month.
His Russian opponent is one of the rising fighters in the division and one of the few still undefeated fighters in the biggest martial arts promotion in Asia.
A known world-class wrestler, Malachiev made his presence felt in ONE when he easily submitted Filipino campaigner Jeremy Miado via Brabo choke in the opening stanza of their fight in June this year.
Malachiev has fought in several mixed martial arts promotions such as the Eagle Fighting Championship before he signed with ONE.
The Russian campaigner currently holds a professional MMA record of 11 wins against zero loss.
Pacio, meanwhile, claims he has nothing to fear, as he shared that his ground game has improved courtesy of their cross training in the United States earlier this year.
Members of the Lions Nation MMA such as former world champions Eduard Folayang, Kevin Belingon, and Honorio Banario hold regular training with Prof. Gibran Langbayan, the first Igorot black belt in jiu jitsu.
“I am more confident with my ground game now. Now I know what to do in certain situations and I can say that I can compete in the grappling game,” said Pacio.
The Igorot fighter now holds a professional MMA record of 19 wins and four losses. – Harley F. Palangchao
