Joshua Pacio is set to face Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke at ONE: Warrior Kingdom, according to multiple reports in the Philippines. The bout in Bangkok on March 11 pits two of the top strawweights on the roster together.
Pacio (8-1) earned a shot at reigning ONE Championship strawweight king Yoshitaka Naito last October. He was submitted with a rear-naked choke in the fourth round in what remains the only career loss for the 21-year-old Team Lakay prospect.
Dejdamrong (6-1) finds himself in a similar situation having been submitted by Naito with a rear-naked choke in his most recent outing. The 38-year-old was the organization’s inaugural strawweight champion, but came up short in his first title defense.
While they both have very good pro records, the similarities end there. Dejdamrong is a former Lumpinee champion who was a veteran of 300 Muay Thai fights before moving to Evolve MMA in Singapore and switching disciplines three years ago.
Pacio, by contrast, comes from a Wushu background and joined Team Lakay while he was still a schoolboy. He is 17 years younger than Dejdamrong and will have to deal with a hostile home crowd at the Impact Arena on the outskirts of Bangkok.
The card will also feature the debut of Dejdamrong’s Evolve MMA teammate Saketdao Petphayathai. The 30-year-old held multiple titles at Lumpinee Stadium and will be the most decorated Muay Thai fighter to ever compete inside the cage.
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