Former ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua Pacio had a rough night at the office when he faced Jarred Brooks at ONE 164 this past Saturday, 3 December, at Mall of Asia Arena in Manila.
The Filipino star lost via unanimous decision, ending his three-year reign as the strawweight king. However, “The Passion” has always kept a flame burning in his fights and could return to the top, as demonstrated by his 20-4 professional MMA record.
That said, here are three potential opponents the 26-year-old could face before a potential rematch with Brooks.
Gustavo Balart
Balart is the No. 4-ranked contender in the strawweight rankings, and a heated rivalry has developed between him and Pacio over the last year.
“The Gladiador” and the Team Lakay athlete had a war of words, and the Circle would be the best place to settle their beef, especially with Pacio now on the come-up.
Additionally, the 35-year-old Balart is riding a three-fight winning streak and holds an 11-4 record. So, a win over him could nudge Pacio back toward the coveted crown.
Bokang Masunyane
“Little Giant” was bumped down to the second spot in the rankings thanks to Pacio’s move to top-ranked contender.
However, the only loss on Masunyane’s otherwise perfect 8-1 record is to the new World Champion in Brooks.
The 28-year-old has an elite wrestling style that could be an interesting matchup to “The Passion’s” stellar stand-up. With eight finishes to Pacio’s name, a battle with Masunyane would definitely be a must-see for viewers worldwide.
Hiroba Minowa
Photo from ONEFC.com
Minowa is a grappler who likes to go the distance in his matches in the Circle – a stark contrast to Pacio’s tendency to finish fights quickly.
The Japanese athlete is the #3-ranked contender on the strawweight roster and holds decision wins against former titleholder Alex Silva and Pacio’s teammate in Lito Adiwang, giving him a 13-3 MMA record.
Minowa’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills would be put to the test, as Pacio has eight submission victories in his professional career. If “The Passion” sharpens his ground game against the 24-year-old, he may be able to reclaim the World Title against the wrestling-based Brooks in a rematch.
Up next, download the ONE Super App to catch all the action at ONE Fight Night 6: Superbon vs. Allazov on Saturday, 14 January, at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.
Read More From ONE Championship:
