Beyond the cage’ Joshue ‘The Passion’s’ fight for purpose

Sports

 

Laren P. Longbabe

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- As the crowd roars in anticipation, a lone figure stands at the center of the cage, eyes focused, fists clenched, and heart pounding. For Joshua Felix Pacio, a 29-year-old Igorot fighter from Beckel of thisd town, this is more than just a fight. It’s a culmination of years of hard work, unwavering faith, and a journey that began long before he ever stepped into the ring.

Joshua’s path to Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) was anything but conventional. At 11 years old, he was not an aspiring fighter—he was an obese child simply looking for a way to get fit. Martial arts seemed like the right choice, so he started training in Muay Thai, later shifting to Wushu. By 16, he had discovered his true passion—MMA.

“Honestly, I didn’t expect to become a fighter,” Joshua admits. “At first, I just wanted to lose weight. But when I started competing, I kept losing… yet I loved it anyway.”

What began as a fitness journey soon transformed into an obsession? He wasn’t just training to shed pounds anymore—he was training to win.

For Joshua, the road to becoming a fighter wasn’t easy, especially when it came to his parents’ reactions. His father, Nimrod Pacio, was more supportive from the start but could never attend his live fights due to work abroad. It wasn’t until Joshua’s rise to the international stage that his father had the chance to watch him compete live.

His mother, on the other hand, struggled with the idea of her son stepping into the cage.

“She couldn’t bear to watch me get hurt,” Joshua recalls. “She never watched my fights live, but she supported me in her own way. Over time, she saw how I improved, and eventually, she accepted it.”

Though physically apart at times, his family’s quiet encouragement became one of his greatest strengths.

For Joshua, martial art is more than just a sport—it is a discipline that has shaped his character. “The first thing martial arts teaches you is discipline,” he says. “It has changed my life—my attitude, my mindset, everything.”

But above all, faith remains his foundation.

“I don’t pray to win; I pray for God’s protection and guidance,” he explains. “Victory is a result of hard work and God’s favor, but defeat is part of the journey. If you lose, you reflect, improve, and move forward.”

His strongest opponents are not just the fighters he faces inside the cage but also the mental battles that come with setbacks. Through it all, he remains steadfast in his belief that every challenge has a purpose.

Moreover, balancing academics with training was one of Joshua’s biggest early challenges. As a varsity athlete at the University of the Cordilleras, he juggled daily training sessions with schoolwork.

“It was tough—training twice a day while studying. But my heart was in martial arts so I just enjoy it,’’ he shares.

Another most significant challenge Joshua faced early on was dealing with bashers. As his fame grew, so did the criticisms. For many athletes, negative comments can be discouraging, but Joshua saw it as a sign of progress. Instead of letting criticism affect him, he used it as motivation to work even harder.

“If you have bashers, it means you’re growing and becoming successful,” he said.

As he prepares for his upcoming fight with Jarred Brooks, a formidable opponent from the United States, Joshua remains focused. His mindset going into every fight is —trust in God and execute the game plan. – Laren P. Longbabe is a student of the Benguet State University)