Jeremy Pacatiw may have sat on the sidelines for 16 months, but he competed at ONE Fight Night 21 last weekend as if he hadn’t been out of action for that long.
“The Juggernaut” turned heads in his comeback, needing less than three minutes to force Chinese opponent Wang Shuo to wave the white flag with a rear-naked choke.
For Pacatiw, the victory carried a deeper significance. Many fans and pundits had speculated about the potential ring rust that he might face after such a long absence.
However, the 27-year-old standout from Kapangan, Benguet quickly put those doubts to rest with an electrifying performance.
“Like what I said before the fight, I [entered the fight] prepared for any aspect. I think that this is the time, the perfect time, that the Lord gave me. We waited for 16 months,” he told Tiebreaker Times.
“The way I fought, it’s okay somewhat, I was composed. I was focused on that fight and we were able to get the win in the first round, so I’m happy.”
The road back to the spotlight was not easy for Pacatiw. He took a backseat for the entirety of 2023, and his absence extended into the first quarter of 2024.
Though he never doubted himself, Pacatiw acknowledged that getting to this point was an emotional rollercoaster ride.
“To be honest, when my teammates were getting fights, I had thoughts of, ‘man, I wish that were me.’ There were those feelings. It’s normal,” he revealed.
Despite the uncertainties, the Lions Nation MMA member remained steadfast in his belief that things would eventually fall into place.
“There are some things out of our control, so I just stayed true to my motivations and my trust in God’s plans for me because sometimes, if we try to force it, we fail. Along with my wife and our spiritual family, we prayed,” he said.
“It’s an answered prayer. Now, here we are. We were given that fight last weekend, plus we came out on top.”
His patience in waiting may have been tested, but the reward was worth the time and effort.
“I can say it’s worth the wait. I’ve been waiting for so long, but we made quick work of my opponent. It was a great result overall,” he mentioned.
Looking ahead, Pacatiw aims to maintain an active schedule for the rest of 2024.
“I want to fight again, maybe two more fights later this year. I can’t wait that long again,” he shared with a good laugh.
With this triumph under his belt, Pacatiw hopes to lure a ranked bantamweight as an opponent in his next outing.
“I would like to face anyone in the Top Five of my division. I think I’m ready for it,” he stated.
