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| Just two months after defending his belt at home, Joshua Pacio returns to the MOA Arena with his One strawweight title on the line. One Championship (file photo) |
By Ivan Saldajeno
MANILA—For the second straight Philippine fight card, Joshua Pacio will be putting his One strawweight title on the line.
As announced on Thursday, Pacio will defend his belt at home once again, this time against Alex Silva at One: Fire and Fury on Jan. 31.
In the first One Championship fight card that the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay will host for 2020, Pacio will be facing a former champ in Silva for his second title defense.
The Brazilian held the One strawweight championship after beating Yoshitaka Naito at One: Warriors of the World on Dec. 9, 2017.
However, he lost the same belt to Naito in their rematch at One: Enter the Dragon on May 12, 2018. The said defeat sparked a three-fight skid that included a loss to another eventual former champ in Yosuke Saruta and yet another fall to Naito last year.
Silva has since won back-to-back fights via submission against Stefer Rahardian and Peng Xuewen, earning him a shot to take back the title belt from Pacio.
In the co-main event, it will be a battle of former champs as former One lightweight titleholder Eduard Folayang battles former UGB champion Ahmed Mujtaba of Pakistan.
Danny Kingad also returns to the cage to take on China's Xie Wei, Lito Adiwang battles Pongsiri Mitsatit.
Recently crowned Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Gina Iniong makes her return to One as she collides with India's Asha Roka.
Jomary Torres, on the other hand, locks horns with former One women's strawweight title challenger Jenny Huang of Chinese Taipei.
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno
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