“The most important thing” - Joshua Pacio chose to put the work in to strengthen his knee rather than to just repair it

Reigning ONE strawweight MMA world champion and ex-Team Lakay member 'The Passion' Joshua Pacio of the Philippines had a choice to make.

He could either just surgically repair his ACL tear and return to action in the quickest time possible or take a few extra months to do the necessary rehab to ensure his knee will no longer be a problem both physically and mentally.

The Lions Nation MMA co-founder wisely chose the latter.

Speaking to the YouTube channel The MMA Superfan in a recent interview, Pacio detailed the conversation with his physician.

'The Passion' said:

"I think for me, the most important thing is to be cleared. Before, I was made to choose if I wanted surgery or strengthening. We went to Dr. Canlas, who is one of the best when it comes to ACL injuries, and he said let’s strengthen the muscles around it. Then we went to PhysioLab, who said that there is a small, partial tear but it can be strengthened. The muscles that are not used, let’s make them move and let’s strengthen them. And that’s what we did for six to eight weeks, I think."

Needless to say, Pacio is fully confident in his body now and is ready to throw down with his biggest rival.

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Joshua Pacio returns to face rival Jarred Brooks in historic world title unification bout at ONE 171: Qatar

Strawweight MMA world champion 'The Passion' Joshua Pacio is ready to go to war with interim king 'The Monkey God' Jarred Brooks in a highly anticipated trilogy bout for the undisputed strawweight throne.

The two lock horns at ONE 171: Qatar, which broadcasts live from the state-of-the-art Lusail Sports Arena in Lusail, Qatar, on Friday, February 20, 2025.

Fans in the United States and Canada can visit ONE Championship's official website for more information on how to watch from their area. Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding the event.