Team Lakay’s Pacio defends world title; Jenelyn Olsim returns

 

SPORTS

Carlo Quinto

SINGAPORE -- ONE Championship™ (ONE) today announced that reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio of the Philippines will defend his World Title against #1-ranked contender Jarred     “The Monkey God” Brooks. The fight serves as the main event of ONE 158, which broadcasts live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Friday, 3 June.
    Rich Franklin, Vice President of ONE Championship, stated: “Pacio comes from the famed Team Lakay, with their wushu style they bring to MMA. He has only had one loss in four-and-a-half years, when [Yosuke] Saruta took his belt. Avenging that loss and regaining the World Title several months later, he finally capped that trilogy last year proving to be the undisputed champ. Brooks is on a six-fight win streak with wins over some of the division’s toughest, including Pacio’s teammate Lito Adiwang. Brooks’ aggressive style in the ring is matched by the trash talking lyrics of pre-fight rap. Both of these guys have the gas for five rounds, and this one is personal. Brooks could become the Lakay killer, but Pacio has plans to put Brooks’ trash talking to an end.”
    Pacio is on a four-fight win streak, with his latest victory being a first-round technical knockout in over #5-ranked Yosuke Saruta of Japan last September. Meanwhile, the veteran Brooks joined ONE Championship in October of 2021, and has since won three straight in the promotion. His most recent win was against former top-ranked strawweight Bokang Masunyane just this past April.
    Joshua Pacio, ONE Strawweight World Champion, stated: “Philippines, we have the trawweight belt here in our beloved country. Soon, we’ll need to defend it against Jarred Brooks of the United States. I need your support and love to keep what is ours. This is Joshua Pacio, your champion, laban natin itong lahat (This is our fight).”
    Jarred Brooks, #1-ranked Strawweight MMA Contender, stated: “Challenging for the World Title in the best organization in the world is a dream come true. I’ve been thinking, sleeping and breathing the fight game for my entire life. And to win the belt would mean more than life itself. While I do think Joshua has some really great capabilities, I don’t think he has the same heart as me. He doesn’t have the same will and determination to win that I have. I will be the next ONE Strawweight World Champion, and my prediction is that I'm going to submit Pacio in the first or second round.”
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Another Team Lakay star is locked for ONE Championship’s next event in June.
    Jenelyn Olsim will make her return to the Circle against Julie Mezabarba at ONE 158: Pacio vs. Brooks on June 3 which will be broadcast live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
    The Filipino star looks to get back on the winning column after falling short in her previous fight against Indian wrestling savant Ritu Phogat in the ONE Atomweight World Grand Prix semifinals on ONE: NEXTGEN in October 2021.
    Despite her loss to Phogat, Olsim is still one of the top prospects in the promotion.
    Olsim said she’s not letting her opportunity go to waste and that she’ll take full advantage to increase her stock in the atomweight division.
    “Every day is a blessing for it allows us to refocus on what is important and what motivates us to keep going. Take full advantage of this blessing,” said Olsim.  
    Before facing Phogat, Olsim had two straight wins both of which were scored in dominant fashion.
    She first scored a third-round submission win over Brazilian knockout artist Maira Mazar at ONE: FISTS OF FURY III in March 2021 before taking a unanimous decision win over Vietnamese-American star Bi Nguyen in August of that same year at ONE: BATTLEGROUND III.
    “Thank you everyone for believing and for all your support, you all inspire me. I will take full advantage of this moment to fight with all my heart!” she said.
    Olsim, who’s one of the most well-rounded fighters in the atomweight division, is a veteran of many disciplines. 

Jenelyn Olsim never let up on training for ONE 158

Carlo Quinto

Eventful could be an understatement to describe the past two weeks for Jenelyn Olsim’s life.
The Team Lakay star wasn’t just preparing for her next fight in ONE Championship but she was also taking the time to get ready for the 2021 Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam.
    Olsim wasn’t just scheduled to face Julie Mezabarba at ONE 158: Pacio vs. Brooks, she also had to represent the Philippines in the Vovinam competition in the SEA Games.
    The 25-year-old has since captured the bronze medal in Vietnam and she’s been nothing but ecstatic with all the developments that happened in her career.
    “My training for ONE Championship and for the SEA Games have been continuous. I just need to make small adjustments and additional training so that I can incorporate Vovinam into my MMA training,” said Olsim.
    The ONE Championship atomweight fighter first beat Laos’ Male Chanthalacksa 4-3 in the eliminator to advance to the semifinals wherein she captured the bronze medal in the women’s -55kg division.
    “I’m really happy because I continue to receive these blessings. Every time I fight, I take it as a sign of gratitude.”
    Olsim added that her Team Lakay stablemates’ success in Hanoi also serve as inspiration for her fight against Mezabarba.
    Team Lakay fighters carried the Philippine flag in the Vovinam and kickboxing competitions in the SEA Games. Honorio Banario, a former ONE featherweight world champion, also made the podium when he captured the bronze medal in the men’s low kick competition in the -71kg division of the kickboxing event.
    “The more medals my teammates collect, the more I get inspired and motivated to get the win at ONE 158,” said Olsim.

While she’s watched her teammates collect medals in Hanoi, Olsim can watch Joshua Pacio defend his ONE strawweight world championship against rival Jarred Brooks at ONE 158.