A high-stakes MMA showdown between a former divisional king and an undefeated rising star is headed to ONE Fight Night 15: Tawanchai vs. Superbon on Prime Video.
On Friday, October 6, live in U.S. primetime, #1-ranked strawweight contender Joshua “The Passion” Pacio will take on Dagestani sensation Mansur Malachiev in a matchup with major implications for the World Title picture.
This will be Pacio’s first promotional appearance since losing his gold to reigning titleholder Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks at ONE 164 last December.
A former five-time ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion, the 27-year-old Filipino hopes to put on a dominant showing and secure a rematch with the American star.
Before he lost the belt, the wushu stylist had firmly established himself as one of the organization’s most dominant World Champions and arguably one of the planet’s top pound-for-pound MMA fighters. He had won four straight World Title bouts, including three by stoppage.
But standing in his way will be the hard-charging Malachiev, who currently sits as the division’s #5-ranked contender after a spectacular first-round submission victory over surging knockout artist Jeremy Miado in his promotional debut at ONE Fight Night 11 this past June.
Boasting a pristine 11-0 professional record with an 82 percent finishing rate, the Universal Fighters representative is one of the most talented additions to the strawweight MMA division in recent memory.
Given his prodigious submission skills, raw athleticism, and ruthless ground-and-pound, Malachiev has all the makings of a future ONE World Champion – and he could shoot to the top of the divisional rankings with a victory over Pacio.
Fans won’t want to miss a second of this pivotal battle, which promises action from start to finish.
Stay tuned to onefc.com for more news about ONE Fight Night 15: Tawanchai vs. Superbon on Prime Video.
