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ONE strawweight MMA World Champion Joshua Pacio of the Philippines knows he cannot be one-dimensional against one of the division's most dangerous finishers.'The Passion' will seek two-division supremacy by challenging reigning ONE flyweight MMA world champion Yuya Wakamatsu at ONE 173 on November 16.Knowing ‘Little Piranha’s penchant for putting his foes to sleep with his thunderous strikes, Pacio knows his grappling will be key to victory.However, the 29-year-old Filipino still plans to approach with caution and not force the issue.While speaking with the ONE Championship, he said:"The fight will always start on the feet. But if I get the opportunity to take him down, I'll take it. We're really planning to mix things up. I understand he's a really strong striker."Meanwhile, Pacio is confident he can hold his own in striking exchanges, given his elite wushu foundation honed in the mountains of Baguio.But it’s the Lions Nation MMA representative’s evolution as a more balanced martial artist, particularly with his wrestling and jiu-jitsu, that allowed him to rule the 125-pound ranks.Not fighting Wakamatsu where he is at his strongest is a smart choice for Pacio, as he bids to become his country’s first-ever two-division MMA world champion. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostJoshua Pacio reveals his biggest advantage over Yuya WakamatsuYuya Wakamatsu may have grown leaps and bounds, but Joshua Pacio believes he remains untested as a world champion.ONE 173 will mark 'Little Piranha's first world title defense. The Filipino superstar, on the other hand, has had three separate reigns as strawweight MMA champion, with multiple title defenses to his name.'The Passion' told ONE Championship:"I've been fighting five-round fights since 2018. Wakamatsu has yet to compete in championship rounds. That's my biggest advantage if this fight reaches the championship rounds."Keep up with Sportskeeda and ONE Championship for the latest updates on this champion versus champion showdown.
