The weight difference provided no edge. Pacio’s strength in the grappling exchanges surprised the defending champion throughout their bout, which Wakamatsu won via second-round TKO at 54 seconds.
“No, I didn’t feel the weight difference at all,” Wakamatsu said.
“He was very strong, especially in the grappling department.”
The 30-year-old experienced Pacio’s power immediately when the Filipino landed a first-round left hook that dropped Wakamatsu. The knockdown put the title defense in jeopardy before it truly began.
“He dropped me with a left hook, but then he came to grapple, and I was still clearing the cobwebs, but his wrestling felt very strong,” Wakamatsu said.
The Tribe Tokyo MMA representative survived the immediate danger and shifted the fight to grappling exchanges where he anticipated dominating the smaller champion. But Pacio’s strength continued to test Wakamatsu’s expectations.
Wakamatsu’s preparation focused on maintaining offensive pressure regardless of the adversity Pacio presented. The approach allowed him to weather the first-round trouble and establish control through ground strikes.
“I came in prepared to leave it all out in the first round, and when I was able to get to the side of the turtle position, I was throwing ground-and-pound as hard as I could,” Wakamatsu said.
The strategy produced results in the second round when Wakamatsu landed an overhand right that dropped Pacio. He then secured a headlock and finished with grounded knees to earn the stoppage and a $50,000 performance bonus from ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong.
