Mansur Malachiev aiming for “major win” over Joshua Pacio at ONE Fight Night 15

Number-five-ranked Mansur Malachiev is on a mission to stake his claim as the next contender for the ONE Strawweight MMA World Championship.

For him to achieve that, he has to go through former divisional king and #1-ranked Joshua Pacio. Both men will collide at ONE Fight Night 15 on Prime Video. The event airs live in U.S. primetime from Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, this Friday, October 6.

Malachiev made a resounding entry into the world’s largest martial arts organization last June. In his debut, he made quick work of former top-five ranked strawweight Jeremy Miado via first-round submission. The triumph also earned him the #5 spot in the rankings.

Now, the Russian is determined to replicate that success at Pacio’s expense.

“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,” Malachiev said.

“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.”

When asked about his upcoming bout, Malachiev exudes confidence and believes he has what it takes to overcome Pacio.

“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,” Malachiev said.

“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.”

Mansur Malachiev vows to finish Joshua Pacio early

Mansur Malachiev understands the gravity of facing Joshua Pacio and the potential rewards that come with a decisive win.

“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,” he said.