Joshua “The Passion” Pacio will be paying close attention to the strawweight MMA battle between Jeremy “The Jaguar” Miado and #4-ranked contender Hiroba Minowa at ONE Fight Night 23: Ok vs. Rasulov on Prime Video.

As the reigning ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion, the Filipino superstar knows that both of those men are gunning for a shot at his gold.

The clash between Miado and Minowa is set to go down this Friday, July 5, live in U.S. primetime from Bangkok’s historic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.

Joshua Pacio shares his thoughts on the strawweight showdown between top contenders at ONE Fight Night 23

While both men come into the contest following hard-fought losses to top competition, they remain two of the division’s most respected contenders – and a victory at ONE Fight Night 23 would do wonders for either’s journey to a World Title shot.

Pacio recently spoke about that pivotal showdown. He says that, in many respects, this is a classic striker-versus-grappling matchup, with the Japanese scrapper holding an advantage on the ground:

“Hiroba Minowa is a force on the ground, making him a daunting opponent to contend with once he establishes his grappling game. However, Jeremy Miado possesses a powerful advantage of his own. He packs a serious punch with his fists and is skilled in striking techniques.”

“Hiroba Minowa seems unlikely to engage in a striking battle with Jeremy Miado and will likely prioritize shooting for takedowns throughout the fight. I know Miado is aware of this, and without him telling me, I know he’s preparing hard to sharpen his takedown defense.” 

Pacio proclaims ‘The Jaguar’ holds the advantage in the striking department

If Minowa’s path to victory lies on the ground, Miado will likely be the most dangerous on the feet where he employs a venomous striking attack and ruthless finishing instincts.

For that reason, Pacio says that “The Jaguar” can score the knockout so long as it’s a stand-up fight:

“If Miado manages to fend off Minowa’s takedowns and turns the fight into a striking battle, it could spell trouble for Minowa.” 

“Underestimating Jeremy Miado would be a mistake you can’t afford to make when facing him. With one strike, he can send you to sleep.”