Filipino mixed martial arts star Joshua Pacio successfully defended his ONE Strawweight MMA World Championship by defeating Mansur Malachiev of Russia via rear-naked choke in the main event of ONE: The Inner Circle 21, held at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday.
First-Round Finish
Pacio ended the fight within the first round after Malachiev lost consciousness due to the tight submission hold at the 4:23 mark. The bout began with Malachiev showcasing his grappling strength, taking Pacio down and attempting a face crank and rear-naked choke. However, the champion remained calm and managed to escape the precarious position.
Pacio reversed the position and took the back of the Russian challenger before locking in a tight rear-naked choke. Although Malachiev did not tap out immediately, he lost consciousness due to the pressure of the hold, prompting the referee to stop the fight and declare Pacio the winner by technical submission.
Second Encounter
This was the second meeting between the two athletes, following their first bout at ONE Fight Night 15 in 2023, where Pacio also defeated Malachiev via unanimous decision. The victory marked another successful title defense for the Filipino champion.
Performance Bonus
In addition to retaining his title, Pacio received a US$50,000 performance bonus from ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, recognizing his strength and skill in the bout.
