Joshua Pacio Submits Mansur Malachiev To Retain ONE Strawweight MMA World Title At The Inner Circle 21

The Inner Circle 21 and ONE Friday Fights 161 delivered a spectacular night of martial arts on 10 July at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, headlined by Joshua Pacio retaining the ONE Strawweight MMA World Title with a first-round rear-naked choke submission of Mansur Malachiev at 4:23.

Malachiev seized the initiative early, shooting for a takedown and threatening with a face crank before working toward Pacio’s back. The Filipino stayed calm through the danger, escaped, reversed position, and climbed onto Malachiev’s back. From there, he cinched a rear-naked choke so deep the Russian went unconscious before tapping.

In the co-main event, Shozo Isojima bounced back from recent setbacks with a first-round stoppage of Filipino MMA legend Eduard Folayang. Folayang dropped Isojima with a sharp left-right hook combination early, but the Japanese fighter answered immediately with a left hook that put the former three-time king on the canvas.

Both men traded wild shots in a frantic opening before a second Isojima left hook badly rocked Folayang. As the 42-year-old stumbled, one more punch forced the referee to intervene at 4:29 of round one.

At ONE Friday Fights 161, 18-year-old Jaradchai Maxjandee survived a second-round knockdown to keep his perfect ONE Friday Fights record intact. Othman Rhouni landed a hook that dropped the Thai, but Jaradchai stormed back with a flying knee and high kick that produced a knockdown before sealing the unanimous decision.

Two-time Rajadamnern Stadium World Champion Petsiam T2A Waterubon produced a devastating body kick display in the co-main event, dropping Nihad Taghizade twice with left middle kicks before the referee stopped the strawweight kickboxing contest at 1:53 of round one.

The Inner Circle 21 – 10 July Results:

• Joshua Pacio def. Mansur Malachiev via submission at 4:23 of round one to retain the ONE Strawweight MMA World Championship
• Shozo Isojima def. Eduard Folayang via TKO at 4:29 of round one (MMA – lightweight)
• Detchawalit Silkmuaythai def. Tom Casse via unanimous decision (Muay Thai – bantamweight)
• Ali Kelat def. Elies Abdelali via TKO at 2:29 of round three (Muay Thai – featherweight)
ONE Friday Fights 161 – 10 July Results:
• Jaradchai Maxjandee def. Othman Rhouni via unanimous decision (Muay Thai – flyweight)
• Petsiam T2A Waterubon def. Nihad Taghizade via TKO at 1:53 of round one (Kickboxing – strawweight)
• Petsangwan Sor Samarngarment def. Tonglampoon FA Group via KO at 2:57 of round one (Muay Thai – strawweight)
• Tom Keogh def. Michael Baranov via KO at 0:46 of round two (Muay Thai – featherweight)
• Klarob NuiCafeboran def. Omar El Halabi via unanimous decision (Muay Thai – flyweight)
• Kulabkaw Luksingnamchai def. Meshal Alsaeed via TKO at 1:15 of round two (Muay Thai – bantamweight)
• Go Todoroki def. Alexandre Khan via KO at 3:21 of round one (MMA – featherweight)
• Sunvo Torfunfarm def. Khundet PK Saenchai via KO at 2:28 of round three (Muay Thai – flyweight)
• Phatiphan Arthinkong def. J Han via unanimous decision (Submission Grappling – featherweight)
• Min Sung Kang def. Yusei Iwakura via KO at 2:07 of round two (MMA – lightweight)