Undisputed ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Joshua Pacio sees brighter future for Filipino fighters in the global stage.<\/p>\n
Pacio has been witnessing a spurt in the Philippine MMA scene with several young fighters making wave in ONE Championship.<\/p>\n
The 29-year-old gave his stamp of approval to promising studs Jayson Miralpez and MarwinQuirante, who are both making waves in the ONE Friday Fights event series.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they continue to develop, Jayson Miralpez and Marwin Quirante have the potential. When I was 19 to 23 years old, I wasn\u2019t as good as them. So, if they just continue to work, they\u2019ll reach a new level,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Aside from the two, Pacio also sees a future world champion in his former teammate, Jhanlo Mark Sangiao.<\/p>\n
The Team Lakay prince made a triumphant return at ONE Fight Night 33 last month, notching a scintillating submission victory over Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe trained with him before when he was younger. If he continues to work, and doesn\u2019t think about any distractions, he\u2019ll be a World Champion,\u201d added Pacio.<\/p>\n
The Cordillera-based fighter remains optimistic that the Philippines could soon return to its former glory, as there were multiple athletes wearing ONE Championship gold nearly seven years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 2018, we had four or five World Champions. Now, we have two. After three to four years, I wonder what will happen. I hope it doesn\u2019t end. I hope the Philippines continues to produce World Champions in MMA,\u201d Pacio said.<\/p>\n
Pacio also beams with pride to see just how far his compatriot Denice \u201cThe Menace\u201d Zamboanga has come.<\/p>\n
The Filipino superstar witnessed Zamboanga\u2019s rocky journey, which was filled with trials, tribulations, and circumstances beyond her control. From unfortunate injuries to postponed World Title bouts, the 28-year-old endured hardships and patiently waited for her moment to shine.<\/p>\n
After overcoming the odds, Zamboanga can now proudly call herself the Philippines\u2019 first female MMA World Champion.<\/p>\n
She captured the ONE Interim Women\u2019s Atomweight MMA World Title with a commanding victory over Alyona Rassohyna this past January, and she was elevated to undisputed status after Stamp Fairtex relinquished her belt in May.<\/p>\n
Zamboanga\u2019s career-defining moment has also broken-down barriers in the Philippines\u2019 MMA landscape.<\/p>\n
By becoming the first woman from his country to win ONE Championship gold, Pacio believes it will inspire more females to pursue the sport and follow in \u201cThe Menace\u2019s\u201d footsteps.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, that\u2019s what we lack here in the Philippines. We don\u2019t have a lot of female fighters. So, I\u2019m really happy because there\u2019s now a female MMA World Champion in ONE Championship. It\u2019s a big motivation to other female athletes who are looking to capture a ONE World Title,\u201d Pacio added.<\/p>\n
Pacio and Zamboanga will carry the Philippine flag when they travel to Tokyo, Japan, to compete in high-stakes bouts at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri on November 16.<\/p>\n
That evening, the strawweight MMA king will seek two-division supremacy when he goes up a weight class to challenge ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Yuya \u201cLittle Piranha\u201d Wakamatsu at Ariake Arena.<\/p>\n
Zamboanga is also scheduled for action, as she\u2019ll make her first World Title defense against hometown hero Ayaka \u201cZombie\u201d Miura on the same card. Roderick Osis<\/p>\n
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