“A home away from home” - Joshua Pacio says outpour of support in Qatar made him feel like he was in the Philippines

Newly minted undisputed ONE strawweight MMA world champion Joshua Pacio received a lot of support for his recent title fight in Qatar, so much so the emirate felt like the Philippines for him.

'The Passion' solidified his standing as the top dog in the 125-pound weight division by unifying the strawweight championship belts with a second-round TKO victory over erstwhile interim titleholder Jarred Brooks at ONE 171: Qatar on Feb. 20.

In the post-fight interview with ONE commentator Mitch Chilson inside the Circle, Joshua Pacio moved to acknowledge the support he got from Filipino fans in Qatar throughout his ONE 171 run.

He addressed the crowd at the Lusail Sports Arena, saying:

"That’s why I call it a home away from home. Thank you, Filipinos. Filipinos are very globally competitive all over the world. Filipinos are there. Thank you very much."

In becoming the undisputed ONE strawweight MMA world champion, Pacio showed a lot of resolve after being tested early in the contest by American Brooks. He picked things up in the second round, where he made headway with his striking. The Filipino champion managed to take down 'The Monkey God' to the ground, getting past the latter's guard. and landing an elbow to the face and body shots.

Pacio continued to put on the pressure with ferocious hammer fists that had Brooks scrambling to cover himself from. Eventually, the referee saw enough, waving the fight in favor of Pacio at the 4:22 mark of the frame.

Apart from becoming the undisputed strawweight king, the win also marked a successful return for Joshua Pacio following a knee injury that sidelined him for much of last year.

---

Joshua Pacio earns first-ever $50,000 performance bonus at ONE 171

Making the victory at ONE 171: Qatar all the more memorable for Joshua Pacio was him earning a first-ever $50,000 performance bonus from ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong.

The generous incentive, given to athletes who churn out impressive performances during matches, left the Lions Nation MMA standout practically lost for words.

"To ONE Championship, to Chatri, thank you very much. ONE Championship family - thank you," a grateful Pacio said.

Pacio was one of five fighters who were rewarded with a performance bonus. The others were Kade Ruotolo (catchweight/MMA), Ayaka Miura (atomweight/MMA), Shamil Erdogan (catchweight/MMA) and Roberto Soldic (welterweight/MMA).

The full replay of ONE 171: Qatar is available via watch.onefc.com.