Yosuke Saruta vows to ‘break’ Joshua Pacio’s fighting spirit, coming for the finish
Former ONE Strawweight World Champion Yosuke “The Ninja” Saruta has big plans at the upcoming ONE: REVOLUTION on Friday, 24 September.
The top-ranked strawweight athlete takes on reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium, and is hoping to pull away with a victory to settle the score once and for all in their storied rivalry.
Saruta has no plans to just walk away with a win in average fashion, instead, he is gunning for a standout performance to show why he belongs at the pinnacle of the division.
“I will break Pacio’s fighting spirit, break his will, and finish him between rounds four and five. That’s my prediction. Whether I knock him out or submit him, I am coming for the finish,” a fired-up Saruta said.
Fans have already been treated to two memorable encounters between the two prior.
During their first meeting in January 2019, the Japanese warrior edged out the Team Lakay representative via split decision after five grueling rounds.
In the rematch three months later, Saruta failed to keep up with a more versatile Pacio, falling prey to his Filipino opponent’s gameplan from the opening bell, before eventually getting knocked out via a head kick in the fourth round.
According to Saruta, however, much has changed since that second encounter, and he believes he has evolved into a completely different martial artist.
“I’ve fought against Pacio twice already, but it was a long time ago. It’s been two-and-a-half years since we met in the Circle. To be honest, I cannot imagine how much Pacio has improved. I know he’s a better fighter now, but we don’t know how much he has changed since we haven’t seen him fight in a while,” Saruta added.
“If anything, I just want to focus on myself in this match. I’d like to say that I’ve been training very hard and trying to become a better fighter overall. I really want to showcase my skill set, techniques, and fighting style, things that I haven’t shown before.”
Wanting to showcase his newly improved skill set, the Japanese star is certain that he will leave the Circle with the coveted ONE Championship belt around his waist this time around, and score the 22nd win of his career.
Saruta also teased fans that they will be in for a highly entertaining scrap once the five-round battle ensues.
“This fight will be very explosive and exciting from the first round. We are both aggressive fighters who like to push the pace. The fans will be shaking in their seats. They are going to think to themselves, ‘Can these guys continue like this for five rounds?’” the 34-year-old athlete added.
“This matchup has ‘Fight of the Year’ written all over it. Fans will not be disappointed.”
ONE: REVOLUTION broadcasts live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Friday, September 24.
In the main event, reigning ONE Lightweight World Champion Christian “The Warrior” Lee defends his World Title against #3-ranked lightweight contender Ok Rae Yoon, while the co-main event will see Thai striking specialist Capitan defend his ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title against Mehdi Zatout.
