Joshua Pacio retains ONE strawweight title with submission win

Joshua Pacio defended his ONE Championship strawweight title with a submission victory over Mansur Malachiev at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok.

The Filipino champion turned in what ESPN described as one of the finest performances of his career, finishing Malachiev by choke to silence critics who questioned his recent form. The victory marked Pacio's latest defense of the 125-pound strap he has held across multiple reigns.

Pacio answers questions with dominant finish

Malachiev entered the bout as a dangerous challenger, but Pacio controlled the fight from the opening bell. The champion mixed his striking with grappling pressure before securing the fight-ending choke in what amounted to a statement performance.

The win positions Pacio among the most successful champions in ONE's strawweight division history. No immediate word on his next title defense, though the promotion is expected to announce its next Lumpinee Stadium card in the coming weeks.

Reported via:

• ESPN MMA — Joshua Pacio silences doubters with emphatic ONE Championship title defense