Joshua Pacio aims to remain unbeaten in Manila

Reigning ONE strawweight world champion Joshua Pacio of Baguio City's Team Lakay will look to extend his unbeaten streak in Manila when he defends his title against Alex Silva.

The pair is slated to feature in the main event of ONE: Fire & Fury on Friday, January 31 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

"I feel very comfortable fighting here at home in the Philippines. I’m unbeaten here, and it’s because of all the support from the fans," said the 24-year-old phenom.

"It’s a huge privilege to face such a great competitor in Alex Silva. He’s a former world champion and has excellent BJJ, so this will be a huge challenge for me. I’m ready to face it."

Silva, a decorated black belt in jiu-jitsu, stressed that he flew all the way to the Philippines to snatch the gold-plated strap from Pacio.

"One thing you can expect from me is that I will put my whole heart into this match and give a good performance for all the Filipinos. It has been a long two-year journey for me to get back into title contention, and I’m happy to be given another shot," Silva stated.

"For me, the harder the path the better because it helps me improve as a fighter. Joshua is a young and well-rounded athlete, and I have a lot of respect for him. But I believe this is my time now."

In the co-main event, "The Face of Philippine Mixed Martial Arts" Eduard Folayang is set to duke it out with lanky striker Pieter Buist in a three five-minute round contest. — BAP, GMA News