Joshua Pacio says his power helped him overcome Mansur Malachiev: “I was throwing heavy shots”

Joshua Pacio returned to winning ways at ONE Fight Night 15 last week, and he credits his output and raw power for helping him across the finish line against tricky foe Mansur Malachiev.

The former ONE strawweight MMA world champion and current No.1-ranked athlete utilized his world-renowned striking and grappling to win most duels against the Industrial Fighters athlete.

Every time the two were stuck together in gridlock, the Lions Nation MMA exponent made sure he came out on top, and that largely helped his cause after a back-and-forth 15-minute war.

Speaking to ONE Championship following his victory, Joshua Pacio had this to say on what tipped the scales for him on the judges’ scorecards:

“You know, I was throwing heavy shots, and I think it’s the damage category [where I won]. But, of course, the punches. He caught me with an awesome punch [on the left side of my face]."

With the win, ‘The Passion’ improved his slate to 21-4. More importantly, it should position him as a favorite for a rematch against reigning divisional king Jarred Brooks.

The ONE strawweight MMA world champion is yet to be tested at the top of the mountain, but there’s no rival more deserving to be his first assignment than the Baguio City native.

Joshua Pacio has established himself as a fan favorite for years, and many are expecting him to put on a better display after coming out on the wrong end of a unanimous decision to ‘The Monkey God’ when they crossed paths in the main event of ONE 164 last December.

In the meantime, relive his latest victory over Malachiev at ONE Fight Night 15, available to North American fans via replay on Amazon Prime Video.