Meet the Man Who Shaped Joshua Pacio Into a Seven-Time ONE World Champion
ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Joshua "The Passion" Pacio is carrying a deeply personal motivation into his next title defense this Friday, July 10.
Pacio has opened up about the role his late Uncle Ray played in shaping his martial arts career ahead of his rematch against Mansur Malachiev at The Inner Circle 21 on Friday, streaming on live.onefc.com from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
The 30-year-old Filipino is a seven-time ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion, one of the Philippines' most popular fighters, and a Baguio City native who began his martial arts journey at 12 before transitioning from wushu to MMA.
Behind that decorated career stood his uncle, who passed away in 2025 and whose influence shaped every aspect of the champion he became.
Pacio Says His Uncle Believed He Would Become a Champion
The foundation of Pacio's martial arts journey was laid by a man who saw a champion in the young Filipino before anyone else did. His Uncle Ray did not simply introduce him to the sport. He built the training philosophy that has carried Pacio to World Title gold.
“My uncle introduced me to martial arts. He believed in me that I would become a champion someday. He pushed me to my limits in training. He taught me to train hard and at the same time to train smart," Pacio said.
Pacio's 23-5 career record, including 14 wins in ONE, reflects the hard and smart training philosophy his uncle instilled from the very beginning. The Lions Nation MMA product has been one of the most consistent performers in the strawweight division since arriving in ONE Championship.
His Uncle Was Like a Father to Him
The bond between Pacio and his uncle went far beyond a training relationship. The Filipino described a connection that crossed every boundary of a conventional coaching dynamic, one that shaped him as a complete person rather than simply a fighter.
"He's my uncle, but I felt that he was my father, physically and spiritually. He taught me everything. He didn't stop looking for new ways. He didn't stop researching. He'd research every top fighter on the planet and look at how they train. He really played a big role in my career," he explained.
That mentality is visible in how Pacio himself approaches the game. His first meeting with Malachiev in 2023 produced a convincing unanimous decision victory against the then-undefeated Dagestani wrestler, a result that reflected the kind of thorough preparation his uncle modeled throughout his career.
Pacio Reveals His Uncle Was the First Person to Almost Knock Him Out
Among the memories Pacio carries of his Uncle Ray, one stands out above the rest. It is not a championship victory or a milestone moment in his competitive career. Instead, it is a moment in the gym that captures everything about the man who shaped him.
"He was also the first one to almost knock me out. I charged at his back kick, and I was almost knocked out. All of the ideas, when it comes to footwork and training in general, came from him," he said.
The footwork that has made Pacio one of the most elusive and technically refined fighters in the strawweight division traces directly back to the man who was willing to land a back kick on his nephew to teach him a lesson.
Watch The Inner Circle 21 live on Friday, July 10, exclusively at live.onefc.com.
