​Their first meeting had ended in a razor-close decision, but this time Joshua “The Passion” Pacio left no room for argument. The Filipino superstar delivered a spectacular finish in the main event of The Inner Circle 21, forcing a submission from Mansur Malachiev with a rear-naked choke to retain the ONE Strawweight MMA World Title. The highly anticipated rematch streamed live in Asia primetime from Bangkok’s legendary Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, July 10, via live.onefc.com.
Malachiev wasted no time attempting to dictate the pace with a grappling-heavy game plan. The Russian challenger quickly shot for a takedown, dragging Pacio into dangerous territory on the canvas. In the opening moments, Malachiev seemed to be carving out the kind of control that has made him a feared force in the division. He threatened with a face crank before pivoting toward a rear-naked choke as he sought to secure the reigning champion’s back.
But Pacio would not let his challenger settle into his offense. The 34-year-old Russian surged forward, yet Pacio remained composed under duress, working his way out of danger, reversing the position, and eventually climbing onto Malachiev’s back. From there, the Filipino star locked in a tight rear-naked choke of his own, signaling a dramatic shift in momentum.
The opening round proved perilous for Malachiev, who withstood the initial surge of offense but could not withstand Pacio’s relentless pressure as the submission attempt intensified. Pacio continued to tighten the hold, pressing from his bottom position and cinching the choke even deeper. Malachiev fought to escape, but the pressure proved overpowering. He refused to tap, yet the strain proved decisive, and shortly thereafter the Russian contender went unconscious, prompting the referee to halt the contest at the 4:23 mark of round one.
With the victory by submission, Pacio firmly reaffirmed his supremacy in the strawweight division and erased any lingering doubts from their first encounter. He solidified his status atop the ONE Strawweight MMA World rankings, demonstrating once again why he is regarded as one of the division’s premier champions. The win also came with a $50,000 performance bonus granted by ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, underscoring the magnitude of Pacio’s achievement on the night.
The rematch delivered a definitive statement: Pacio’s strategic savvy, patient pressure, and late-game subsignal culminated in a flawless finish that restored his dominance and extended his reign as the defending ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion. The event’s outcome reinforced Pacio’s place at the pinnacle of the division and left little doubt about the continued trajectory of his storied career in ONE Championship.