Overview
- The rematch is confirmed to main event The Inner Circle 21 at Lumpinee Stadium and will stream for members on live.onefc.com on Friday, July 10.
- Their first meeting in October 2023 ended with a narrow unanimous decision for Joshua Pacio that Malachiev still disputes.
- Mansur Malachiev says he entered the 2023 bout with a leg injury, completed a full camp for the rematch, and rebuilt his case with wins over Yosuke Saruta, Bokang Masunyane and a submission of Jarred Brooks.
- Joshua Pacio recovered from a partially torn ACL, reclaimed undisputed strawweight gold by beating Jarred Brooks, and says his greater experience and five-round conditioning give him the edge against Malachiev's takedowns.
- The matchup is a tactical contrast—Malachiev's wrestling and grappling versus Pacio's striking and submission threats—and the fight will have direct consequences for both men’s legacy in ONE Championship.