Russian standout Mansur Malachiev made a statement when he debuted in ONE Championship this past June. The 31-year-old submitted Jeremy Miado inside the first round. Now, Malachiev will have a chance to take the top contender’s spot at ONE Fight Night 15 on Friday, October 6th.
Mansur Malachiev Secures Fight for October, Eyes Title Fight
Malachiev will meet former ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Joshua Pacio as part of the loaded U.S. primetime lineup. With both men angling to challenge Jarred Brooks for the gold, they will step inside Lumpinee Boxing Stadium intent to put on a show. It is all the motivation the Russian needs to shine on the global stage.
“I feel good. I’m fired up for this fight. He’s an experienced fighter and was the World Champion in ONE, so I’m training hard to beat him. A win over Pacio would be a major win for me on my way to the big goal – the ONE belt. My opponent is number one in the division, and a win over him would bring me closer to a World Title fight,” Malachiev told ONE.
Pacio has long been one of the world’s top strawweights, but Malachiev intends to exploit his opponent’s biggest weakness. With a background in grappling, the unbeaten phenom is supremely confident. Against “The Passion,” the 31-year-old believes his wrestling will be the determining factor.
“In his arsenal, he has striking and very good wrestling defense, but my wrestling is on a whole different level. We’ll see if he can defend against it. I have been honing my skills for years among the best wrestlers in Dagestan. I’m experienced enough to out-wrestle anyone, and Pacio is no exception,” Malachiev predicted.
In Malachiev’s 11 professional victories, only two have gone to the scorecards. Likewise, Pacio has only heard the judge’s decision in three of his nineteen victories. With finishing rates over 80%, the Russian wants fans to stay tuned for every second of the high-paced strawweight battle.
“I think I have all the skills to win. I’m ready for all three rounds, but I plan on finishing Pacio early. I’ll tell [the fans] not to blink as it’s going to be a very entertaining and beautiful fight,” Malachiev said.
Brimming with confidence, it is not any surprise Malachiev is already eyeing a future date with Brooks. However, the words between the two talented strawweights are already making the prospective title tilt about more than the gold. The Russian was adamant that he wants to quiet the talking of the current king if he can get past Pacio on October 6th.
“My goal is the belt, and I don’t care who my opponent is going to be. But since I’m fighting the number one [contender in the division], I want to fight Jarred Brooks, the champion, next. He’s been talking too much about me, and I want to show him what I can do, and then take the belt. He’s never met a fighter like me before. Once I get to him, he’ll realize he’s just a loudmouth,” Malachiev stated.
ONE Fight Night 15 airs live on Prime Video on Friday, October 6th. The action begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The event is free for all Amazon Prime members based in the U.S. and Canada.
