“It's one of my best attributes” - Joshua Pacio focusing on maintaining speed despite adding bulk at flyweight

ONE strawweight MMA world champion Joshua Pacio of the Philippines addressed the biggest concern heading into his flyweight debut.

‘The Passion’ will move up a division to challenge reigning ONE flyweight MMA world Champion Yuya Wakamatsu in one of seven world title bouts at ONE 173 on November 16 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

The Filipino superstar packed on some muscle to prepare his body against ‘Little Piranha’s' punishing style.

However, Pacio assured fans that he didn’t sacrifice his most dangerous weapon during his physical transformation.

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Speaking to ONE Championship, the 29-year-old made it clear that his lethal speed and agility will still be there at flyweight:

"The main thing, of course, is to make sure I don't lose speed. It's one of my best attributes, so I made sure it's still there when I move up a weight class."

Speed kills, and it certainly defines the strawweight MMA king’s fighting style.

Pacio paid careful attention to his strength and conditioning program to ensure his body would be in peak physical form in his historic quest for two-division glory.

The Lions Nation MMA athlete can’t wait to unleash a deadlier form at ONE 173.

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Joshua Pacio says his body is adjusting well to flyweight

Joshua Pacio's move to flyweight is reaping benefits physically and mentally. For one,

'The Passion' feels he's bouncing back from hard sessions much faster than before, which has definitely boosted his morale for this training camp.

The strawweight MMA world champion said in the same interview:

"I feel like I'm recovering much faster because I have more nutrients in my body. I'm eating a lot more. My strength and conditioning approach was a bit different. We really focused on building raw power for this move."

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Edited by Saiyed Adeem Karim