Pacio, bagong ONE Strawweight champ
JAKARTA, Indonesia -Determinado para sa hangaring mabigyan ng kasiyahan ang mga kababayan sa Cordilleras na nasalanta ng bagyong ‘Ompong’, nadomina ni Team Lakay mainstay Joshua Pacio si Japanese grappling wizard Yoshitaka Naito para makamit ang ONE Strawweight World Championship Sabado ng gabi sa ONE: CONQUEST OF HEROES sa Jakarta Stadium.
Matikas na nakihamok sa kabuuan ng laban si Pacio para makuha ang unanimous dedcision win at tanghaling pinakabagong Pinoy na naging kampeon sa munsod ng mixed martial arts.
“I’m speechless, but I want to thank the Lord Jesus Christ, and ONE Championship for the privilege and this unexplainable feeling. Last week, typhoons struck Baguio City, Benguet, and the Cordilleras. A lot of places were hit hard. Many people died and some are still missing. This is for all of them. I know that the Cordilleras will come back and rise again soon as one. Of course, I would like to thank my coach Mark Sangiao, who is here, and all our coaches, friends and sponsors. They had our back since day one. I tried to counter his (Naito’s) takedowns and grappling, but this guy is a legend. He was so tough,” pahayag ni Pacio.
Sa co-main event, pinatahimik ni Chinese grappler Peng Xue Wen ang homecrowd nang gapiin ang local star na si Stefer Rahardian via unanimous decision.
Agaw atensyon naman si Thai kickboxing superstar Rodtang Jitmuangnon sa kanyang unang sabak sa ONE Super Series sa matikas na unanimous decision victory kontra dating ONE World Title challenger Sergio “Little One” Wielzen ng Netherlands.
Dinungtungan ni flyweight Danny “The King” Kingad ang pagdiriwan ng Team Philippines nang magwagi kay Japanese newcomer Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu via unanimous decision.
Muling humataw si dating ONE Flyweight World Champion Kairat Akhmetov ng Kazakhstan babg pabagsakin si Chinese phenom “The Southern Eagle” Ma Hao Bin via unanimous decision.