Multi-Time ONE World Champion Joshua Pacio Puts Legacy On The Line Against Keito Yamakita
Joshua “The Passion” Pacio has already done something only one other man in ONE Championship history can claim, and on Wednesday, November 18, he adds another chapter to that legacy when he defends his ONE Strawweight MMA World Title against Keito “Pocket Monk” Yamakita at ONE SAMURAI 5, streaming live from EBARA WAVE Arena Ota in Tokyo, Japan.
The 30-year-old Filipino has won the strawweight crown on three separate occasions, making him one of only two fighters to hold the same ONE World Title through three separate reigns. His numbers back up that pedigree, with a 24-5 career MMA record featuring 19 finishes and a 15-5 promotional mark that includes 10 highlight-reel stoppages.
Pacio’s road to legendary status has never been a straight line. He first won the title at 22 in a rematch against Yoshitaka Naito, lost it in his opening defense to Yosuke Saruta, then reclaimed it that same year via knockout.
Three successful defenses followed before Jarred Brooks dethroned him in 2022. Pacio answered in 2024, capturing the title for a third time in a rematch against Brooks, then unified the belt in a trilogy fight at ONE 171: Qatar in 2025.
His most recent outing only added to the résumé, a first-round submission finish of Mansur Malachiev this past July that showed the champion remains as dangerous as ever.
Yamakita presents a completely different puzzle. The 30-year-old Japanese wrestler out of Reversal Gym Shinjuku Me and We holds a 13-1 career record with six finishes and a 6-1 mark inside the promotion, currently riding a five-fight winning streak that includes victories over former ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Alex Silva and Saruta.
A perfect 7-0 professional run preceded his 2023 arrival in ONE, where his world-class grappling has consistently taken opponents down and out.
The stylistic contrast sets up a compelling championship chess match, with Pacio’s well-rounded striking and submission game meeting Yamakita’s dominant wrestling and ground control. A successful defense would only deepen Pacio’s case as one of the greatest champions in ONE history, while a win for Yamakita would announce his arrival among the sport’s elite.
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