Undisputed ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Joshua Pacio sees brighter future for Filipino fighters in the global stage.
Pacio has been witnessing a spurt in the Philippine MMA scene with several young fighters making wave in ONE Championship.
The 29-year-old gave his stamp of approval to promising studs Jayson Miralpez and MarwinQuirante, who are both making waves in the ONE Friday Fights event series.
“If they continue to develop, Jayson Miralpez and Marwin Quirante have the potential. When I was 19 to 23 years old, I wasn’t as good as them. So, if they just continue to work, they’ll reach a new level,” he said.
Aside from the two, Pacio also sees a future world champion in his former teammate, Jhanlo Mark Sangiao.
The Team Lakay prince made a triumphant return at ONE Fight Night 33 last month, notching a scintillating submission victory over Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg.
“We trained with him before when he was younger. If he continues to work, and doesn’t think about any distractions, he’ll be a World Champion,” added Pacio.
The Cordillera-based fighter remains optimistic that the Philippines could soon return to its former glory, as there were multiple athletes wearing ONE Championship gold nearly seven years ago.
“In 2018, we had four or five World Champions. Now, we have two. After three to four years, I wonder what will happen. I hope it doesn’t end. I hope the Philippines continues to produce World Champions in MMA,” Pacio said.
Pacio also beams with pride to see just how far his compatriot Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga has come.
The Filipino superstar witnessed Zamboanga’s rocky journey, which was filled with trials, tribulations, and circumstances beyond her control. From unfortunate injuries to postponed World Title bouts, the 28-year-old endured hardships and patiently waited for her moment to shine.
After overcoming the odds, Zamboanga can now proudly call herself the Philippines’ first female MMA World Champion.
She captured the ONE Interim Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title with a commanding victory over Alyona Rassohyna this past January, and she was elevated to undisputed status after Stamp Fairtex relinquished her belt in May.
Zamboanga’s career-defining moment has also broken-down barriers in the Philippines’ MMA landscape.
By becoming the first woman from his country to win ONE Championship gold, Pacio believes it will inspire more females to pursue the sport and follow in “The Menace’s” footsteps.
“Honestly, that’s what we lack here in the Philippines. We don’t have a lot of female fighters. So, I’m really happy because there’s now a female MMA World Champion in ONE Championship. It’s a big motivation to other female athletes who are looking to capture a ONE World Title,” Pacio added.
Pacio and Zamboanga will carry the Philippine flag when they travel to Tokyo, Japan, to compete in high-stakes bouts at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri on November 16.
That evening, the strawweight MMA king will seek two-division supremacy when he goes up a weight class to challenge ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu at Ariake Arena.
Zamboanga is also scheduled for action, as she’ll make her first World Title defense against hometown hero Ayaka “Zombie” Miura on the same card. Roderick Osis
