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| Joshua Pacio is currently undergoing tests according to Chatri Sityodtong and Eduard Folayang. ONE Championship (file photo) |
QUEZON CITY--ONE Championship chief executive officer Chatri Sityodtong officially ruled out any major injury that Joshua Pacio could suffer following a bad fall that cut short his ONE strawweight title fight against Jarred Brooks at ONE 166 on Friday night at the Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar.
Relaying the latest health update, Sityodtong said that Pacio is fine now after Brooks slammed him head-first during an early takedown attempt which eventually forced the complete stoppage of the fight.
"The latest prognosis is that he's a hundred percent fine. I think his neck is sprained," Sityodtong said during the post-fight press conference.
"Obviously, he's doing a battery of tests right now in a Lusail hospital overnight."
Eduard Folayang, Pacio's longtime training partner, confirmed the development through a Facebook post, saying, "Joshua is conscious. He can move his hand and leg, and he is here in the hospital for necessary procedures to undergo."
Sityodtong also said that he was disappointed at the outcome of the fight, especially when Brooks did the spike, which is considered illegal according to ONE's rulebook.
"We've had thousands of fights, and to have an illegal spike like that, I was very upset," Sityodtong continued.
He then immediately thumbed down a potential protest from Brooks' camp which claimed that Pacio was just trying to get out of a Kimura submission when he took him down.
"That was a dump on the head. Hundred percent illegal," Sityodtong insisted.
With that said, Brooks' disqualification will be upheld, and Pacio is now the ONE strawweight champion again.
However, with the way their second meeting ended, a third showdown between the two fighters could be on the way to finally settle who's the better champ at 125 pounds.
Despite that, Sityodtong said that a trilogy fight is not yet on his mind right now.
"I haven't thought that far, to be honest. What I care about most right now is that Joshua recovers 100 percent," Sityodtong further said.
Folayang, who now leads Lions Nation MMA, asks for prayers to rule out any major injury in his neck and spine that could derail the stellar career of the 28-year-old Pacio.
Follow him on X: @IvanSaldajeno
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