Joshua Pacio to Defend ONE Strawweight Title Against Keito Yamakita in Tokyo

ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Joshua Pacio is set to return to Japan for his next title defense, facing local favorite Keito Yamakita at ONE SAMURAI 5. The bout, scheduled for November 18, 2026, at the Ebara Wave Arena Ota in Tokyo, places Pacio in the center of a long-standing narrative in Filipino mixed martial arts known as the “Japan curse.”

The term emerged following the March 2019 event “ONE: A New Era,” where several high-profile Filipino champions, including Eduard Folayang and Kevin Belingon, lost their world titles on a single night in Tokyo. For Pacio, this defense serves as both a tactical challenge and an opportunity to rewrite the history of Filipino stars competing on Japanese soil.

The Ebara Wave Arena Ota will host the high-stakes strawweight title clash.

The Challenge of Keito Yamakita

Keito Yamakita enters the championship bout with a professional record of 13-1 and a reputation as one of the division’s most relentless grapplers. Yamakita’s wrestling-heavy style has already proven effective against Filipino opposition; he previously secured a victory over Lito Adiwang in 2025.

According to ONE Championship, the matchup pits Yamakita’s specialized ground game against the champion’s well-rounded striking and evolved submission defense. While Yamakita will have the home-field advantage in Tokyo, Pacio has spent recent years diversifying his skillset to handle elite wrestlers, a necessity in a division increasingly dominated by grappling specialists.

Pacio’s Path to Unification

Joshua Pacio’s current reign is defined by a successful recovery from a significant 2024 ACL injury. After a period of rehabilitation, he returned to the circle to settle his trilogy with Jarred Brooks. In February 2025, Pacio unified the strawweight world title at ONE 171 in Qatar, defeating Brooks via second-round TKO to become the undisputed king of the 125-pound division.

Since that unification, Pacio has maintained his momentum, most recently defeating Mansur Malachiev via first-round submission in July 2026. This victory showcased the champion’s improved grappling, as he finished a dangerous wrestler in the opening minutes of the fight.

Holding a career record of 24-5, Pacio remains the cornerstone of Filipino MMA. His visit to the Ebara Wave Arena Ota represents his most significant test since unifying the belts, as he faces a surging challenger in a venue that has historically been unkind to his countrymen. Victory in Tokyo would not only extend his title reign but effectively dismantle the “curse” narrative that has lingered over Filipino champions for over seven years.

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