Camille Naredo

Filipino MMA fighters Eduard Folayang (L) and Joshua Pacio. Handout/ONE Championship

Filipino MMA fighters Eduard Folayang (L) and Joshua Pacio.

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ONE Championship

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1755495331822DC-3351.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Filipino MMA fighters Eduard Folayang (L) and Joshua Pacio. Handout/ONE Championship"/>Filipino MMA fighters Eduard Folayang (L) and Joshua Pacio. Handout/ONE Championship</div>MANILA -- Filipino mixed martial arts (MMA) icon Eduard &quot;Landslide&quot; Folayang has no doubt that Joshua Pacio will represent the country with pride when he goes for a championship in a second weight division in ONE Championship.Pacio will challenge reigning flyweight champion Yuya &quot;Little Piranha&quot; Wakamatsu at ONE 173: Superbon vs Noiri on November 16 in Tokyo, Japan, for a chance to become the first Filipino fighter to win titles in two separate MMA weight divisions.&quot;I&#x27;m really proud and excited for Joshua. Seeing him in this position is inspiring, not just for me but for every Filipino fighter. We&#x27;ve walked this journey together for many years, and I know how much hard work and sacrifice he&#x27;s put in,&quot; said Folayang.&quot;To have the chance to make history for the Philippines is something special, and I&#x27;m confident he will make our country proud,&quot; he added.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2025/7/21/mma-pacio-to-go-up-in-weight-challenge-wakamatsu-for-one-flyweight-crown-1740">READ: Pacio to go up in weight, challenge Wakamatsu for ONE flyweight crown</a></div>Folayang has reason to be confident in Pacio&#x27;s skills, having seen firsthand how the fighter has developed through the years -- from their roots in Team Lakay to their current partnership at Lions Nation MMA.The veteran has also witnessed how Pacio overcame adversity in recovering from a knee injury to knock out Jarred &quot;The Monkey God&quot; Brooks in February to claim the ONE strawweight MMA world championship.&quot;Joshua has always been a student of the game. He&#x27;s disciplined, humble, and willing to push himself beyond his limits. His fight IQ is very high, and he knows how to adapt inside the circle,&quot; said Folayang.&quot;But more than that, his heart is unmatched. He fights not just for himself, but for the people who believe in him, for the Philippines, and ultimately for the glory of God. That&#x27;s what makes him dangerous and capable of achieving something this big,&quot; he added.If Pacio is triumphant, Folayang believe that his achievement will have a massive impact on Philippine MMA -- similar to when he knocked out Shinya Aoki in 2016 to claim his first ONE World Championship.&quot;If Joshua wins this fight, it will be a proud moment for all Filipinos. It will show the world that we have the talent, heart, and determination to be among the best in the sport,&quot; he said.&quot;For the next generation of fighters, it will serve as a reminder that with hard work, discipline, and faith in God, dreams that once seemed impossible can be achieved,&quot; he added.

Filipino MMA icon Eduard "Landslide" Folayang has no doubt that Joshua Pacio will represent the country with pride when he goes for a championship in a second weight division in ONE Championship.

Filipino MMA icon Eduard "Landslide" Folayang has no doubt that Joshua Pacio will represent the country with pride when he goes for a championship in a second weight division in ONE Championship.

'His heart is unmatched': Folayang confident of Pacio's chances at ONE 173

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'His heart is unmatched': Folayang confident of Pacio's chances at ONE 173

Camille B. Naredo

Published Aug 18, 2025 01:37 PM PHT

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abssports

mixed martial arts

MMA

ONE Championship

ONE 173

Joshua Pacio

Yuya Wakamatsu

Eduard Folayang

Lions Nation MMA

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