Joshua Pacio On Brandon Moreno Fantasy Fight: 'He’s A Tricky Opponent'

Joshua Pacio, the reigning strawweight titleholder of ONE Championship, found himself in awe after watching Brandon Moreno realize his dream of becoming UFC flyweight champion.

Moreno scored a third-round submission victory over now-former champion Deiveson Figueiredo to capture the gold-plated belt at UFC 263 last Saturday, June 12 in Glendale, Arizona in a highly-anticipated rematch.

The win comes just months after Moreno and Figueiredo battled to a draw in an absolute war back in December 2020.

Witnessing Moreno’s career unfold, Pacio could not help but draw similarities between the Mexican’s journey and that of his own at the famed Team Lakay.

“Brandon Moreno's journey is inspiring. Years ago, he called his shot and said he was going to be a world champion, regardless of the setbacks in his career. He showed true determination and perseverance, worked hard, and proved he could do it,” Pacio told International Business Times.

“His story is like ours at Team Lakay. Many of us came from nothing, but martial arts gave us an opportunity.”

Reacting to recent clamor for a ONE Championship-versus-UFC mega event, Pacio stressed that he is open to a super-fight against Moreno.

“The Passion” is ONE Championship’s 56.7-kilogram kingpin, which roughly converts to 125 pounds as a UFC flyweight.

But while he and Moreno are theoretically in the same weight class, Pacio pointed out that Moreno is the bigger guy and that he would need to add some muscle in order to compete against the Mexican.

“I'm a natural 125-pounder. Moreno probably walks around as a bantamweight. There’s likely a huge size difference,” he stated.

“But it would be an honor for me to fight him, no doubt. It’s something that I’ve considered in the past," Pacio continued. "I feel like I would be stronger and more explosive as a full-fledged flyweight.”

Chatri Sityodtong, ONE Championship's chairman and CEO, was quoted recently challenging the UFC into a cross-promotional show.

The idea generated a ton of buzz among hardcore mixed martial arts fans on social media, and many fantasy matchups were suggested, including Pacio taking on Moreno.

The 25-year-old native of Baguio City, Philippines believes that while it’s highly improbable that this sort of extravaganza gets made, it’s still an entertaining thought nonetheless.

While he acknowledges it may be a difficult encounter, Pacio likes his chances against the newly-crowned UFC flyweight king.

“Don't get me wrong though, Moreno is a very tricky opponent. He's very well-rounded and dangerous in all areas. He can strike and he can grapple. It would be a tough fight,” Pacio said.

“I think it will come down to who can get there first. Whoever can impose his will and game plan will win. If it were me fighting him, I would strike hard and strike fast. I would go for the knockout early and end matters early. He’ll be a tough matchup for sure, but whether we strike or we grapple, I am confident I can beat him. I'm a well-rounded fighter too.”