Pacio weathers Naito to capture ONE's strawweight title

JAKARTA, Indonesia — In what was almost an exact encore of their match two years ago, Joshua Pacio did everything right starting from his takedown defense all the way to his striking.

Only this time, he was notably patient. The young Team Lakay ward held on long enough to hear the final bell and his name announced as the new champion, unseating Yoshitaka Naito from the strawweight throne Saturday night at the Jakarta Convention Center. 

“It’s an unexplainable feeling. Last week, we had a typhoon that struck Itogon, Benguet. Some people are missing, some are dead, and they’re still looking for the missing. This fight is for all of them,” Pacio, who fell short in dethroning the veteran Japanese grappler in Myanmar in 2016.

“I know Cordillera will come back again and rise as one,” he added.

Pacio, who was riding on a four-for-five outing before the rematch, was just as aggressive as he was from 2016. He uncorked punches, unleased kicks in an effort to wear down the veteran grappler in Naito, his senior of 12 years.  

The Japanese, for his part, was clinical for five long rounds.  He defended well, foiling every attempt of Pacio to submit him. 

The judges, convinced and perhaps impressed by Pacio’s vastly improved grappling, and takedown defense, awarded to the Team Lakay youngster a unanimous decision. 

Joshua Pacio becomes the NEW strawweight champion after outlasting a clinical outing by Yoshitaka Naito! #ONEFightNight pic.twitter.com/uz5Z2goPYY

— Denison Dalupang (@sonrd) September 22, 2018

“I just tried to counter his takedown and grappling,” Pacio said when asked about his refined performance. “He’s (Naito) still a legend and he’s tough.” 

Pacio is the fifth champion produced by the famed Baguio City stable. 

He joins Geje Eustaqio and Kevin Belingon as Team Lakay’s active division rulers.

Pacio’s latest feat hikes the Philippines’ champion count to four, including heavyweight Brandon Vera.