Former ONE Strawweight World Champion Alex “Little Rock” Silva expects a tough clash when he challenges current strawweight king Joshua “The Passion” Pacio for the strap – but he remains confident.
The pair will tangle for Pacio’s ONE Strawweight World Title in the main event of ONE: Fire and Fury this Friday, January 31, at the SM Mall Of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.
Silva, known for his lethal Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, has improved in his previous bouts. He now plans to show that well-rounded-ness when he takes on the blazing Filipino.
“This will be a difficult fight for both of us,” Silva said.
“I will need to use all my skills, not just my grappling or striking. I need to mix everything up in order to win.”
At the end of the day, the Evolve standout still believes his grappling will be his biggest advantage.
“I believe my BJJ will make a big difference, and I have more than twenty years of experience in martial arts and training. This will be an advantage,” Silva said.
Silva also plans to use Pacio’s home crowd to his advantage.
The 24-year-old has never tasted defeat when competing in Manila. Still, “Little Rock” believes competing on one’s home soil can be a double-edged sword, especially with the expectations of the crowd and the pressure to live up to the hype.
“There will be more pressure for him because he will be fighting in his hometown and defending the belt. I have seen the outcome — the gold on my waist,” Silva said.
“I know this will be an interesting match for the fans and a very difficult fight for us both in the cage. I respect Joshua, but I will be very well prepared for him.”
Silva attempts to hold ONE Strawweight gold once again when he battles Pacio at ONE: Fire and Fury this Friday, January 31, at the SM Mall Of Asia Arena.
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