Jeremy Pacatiw admits having disadvantage after long layoff ahead of next fight

MMA

Hard-hitting Filipino MMA bantamweight Jeremy Pacatiw knows all too well that he could be facing a disadvantage after being away from competition.

Pacatiw, who last fought in December 2022 when he defeated Tial Thang, will see action against Wang Shuo at ONE Fight Night 21 on April 6 at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok.

“Sure, there’s a slight disadvantage. I haven’t competed for quite some time so there’s that, but I have always been diligent,” Pacatiw conceded.

“I’ve always looked to develop what needs to be developed despite being on the sidelines,” he quipped.

“I’ve continued to grow in kickboxing and BJJ. Last year, I had a good run in kickboxing and I was able to participate in the Southeast Asian Games where I’ve learned a lot of things.”

In his last outing, Pacatiw earned himself a $50,000 performance bonus for submitting his foe and was one of the handful of fighters who transferred from Team Lakay to Lions Nation MMA last year.

For Pacatiw, his upcoming fight is a chance to prove that he made the right move.

“I’m excited. We’re a new team and we’re always looking to prove our worth. There’s pressure for sure, being in a new team people will always look at us and have these expectations,” Pacatiw said.

“So what we’re doing now is we just continue to refine what we have and improve on where we can,” he continued.

“This has been a collaborative effort in this team. Everyone’s open to suggestions. I believe we have that chemistry in this team, that’s what makes this work. They’ve always been supportive in my training.“

—JMB, GMA Integrated News