As much as Joshua “The Passion” Pacio would love to defend his ONE Strawweight MMA World Championship, his injury won’t allow him.
Pacio tore his ACL in preparation for his rematch against Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks, a match which ended in controversy when the American was disqualified after slamming Pacio head first – a move that’s illegal in the ONE global ruleset.
Out for a considerable amount of time, Pacio knows that he has to be patient wwith his recovery.
“You know how much I want to be back in there competing, but my physical condition prevents me from doing so,” he said, with the proud Lions Nation MMA stud still recovering from an ACL on top of his neck injury suffered the last time he competed.
With him still sitting at the sidelines, Pacio’s eyes are glued to the upcoming clash between Brooks and #3-ranked strawweight Gustavo “El Gladiator” Balart for the Interim World Title at ONE Fight Night 24 on August 3 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
“It is what it is. The division needs to move forward and determine the next contender, or in this case, the next interim champion,” he said.
Pacio praised Brooks and Balart for both stepping up to the plate, knowing how capable the two fighters are.
That only makes the Filipino champion excited for their bout, knowing the differences of wrestling that these two fighters bring.
Brooks comes in with his strong-style American wrestling – often going for double-leg takedowns and powering past his opponent.
Balart, on the other hand, comes in with Greco-Roman pedigree – a skill that has taken him to the 2012 London Olympics representing Cuba.
“As a fan of the sport, this is a fascinating matchup,” he said.
“You have two elite wrestlers with distinct styles that have proven successful in their careers. This fight raises many questions given their backgrounds. It’s truly mind-boggling.”
To him, it’s also a testament to the depth of the strawweight division in The Home of Martial Arts, with the top-ranked Brooks and the no. 3-ranked contender Balart among those he considered to be worthy challengers before his injury.
But now, the two will have to dispute the position and keep the seat warm before Pacio is cleared for his return.
“What I love about our division is that there’s never a shortage of real title contenders. This will be evident in the upcoming matchup between Jarred Brooks and Gustavo Balart, where the top contender faces the next in line,” he said.
“May the best man win.”
Fight Game Asia 