‘My Hand Will Be Raised’ – Jeremy Pacatiw Thinks His All-Around MMA Skills Will Triumph Over Wang Shuo
Jeremy “The Juggernaut” Pacatiw wants to make a statement in his return to action at ONE Fight Night 21: Eersel vs. Nicolas on Prime Video.
The Filipino star will meet “Little Whirlwind” Wang Shuo in a bantamweight MMA clash in U.S. primetime on Friday, April 5, and he thinks his Chinese foe will bring out his best at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Both athletes have a background in the powerful striking art of wushu, and “The Juggernaut” knows he must be on point when they go toe-to-toe.
He said of Wang:
“He’s a striker. I think he has a wushu base, which makes him a dangerous fighter, especially being a Chinese fighter. In his fight against Tatsumitsu Wada, I was impressed with his striking base.
“The only question mark here is how he’ll look like at bantamweight. He moved up from flyweight, and we don’t know whether he got stronger or slower. We’ll see that in the fight.”
Since both men have a penchant for the stand-up game, Pacatiw believes versatility will be the key on April 5.
The 27-year-old has worked hard to become a complete mixed martial artist, competing in both kickboxing and grappling competitions since his last MMA appearance.
With his ever-expanding skill set, “The Juggernaut” expects to finish his 29-year-old foe, but he also will also look to avoid being over-aggressive:
“I’m confident that I can hang with him wherever the fight goes. Being confident doesn’t mean being careless, though, as I have to be really careful. He can get really sneaky with his strikes.
“I want to prove that I’m a well-rounded fighter. I want to mix everything up. If an opportunity comes up to knock him out or submit him, I’ll go for it.
“It’s tough to give a prediction, but all I can say is my hand will be raised after the fight.”
Pacatiw Thrilled With His Move To Lions Nation MMA
A lot has happened since Jeremy Pacatiw’s last ONE victory over Tial Thang back at ONE 164.
The Filipino MMA landscape experienced a massive shift when there was a widespread exodus from Team Lakay to the newly formed Lions Nation MMA squad – and Pacatiw was one of the athletes who moved over.
Despite it being a difficult choice, “The Juggernaut” has no regrets amid his first full fight camp at Lions Nation.
He explained:
“The preparation has been great. I’m excited. I’m working hard every day, making sure that I return to the ring at the top of my game.”
“It was a tough decision to move to Lions Nation MMA. It was a risk. In every instance, we’re free to make our own decisions, but there are always results and consequences with those decisions.
“Looking at it now, I think I made the right decision. We have a World Champion now, we’ve been building good momentum with a couple of wins, and I’m looking forward to keeping that momentum going.”
With Filipino icon Eduard “Landslide” Folayang running the ship and most of the country’s biggest names on the team, Pacatiw feels lucky to be a part of Lions Nation MMA.
Working alongside elite training partners like former ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon and current #2-ranked bantamweight MMA contender Stephen “The Sniper” Loman, “The Juggernaut” knows he has everything in place to chase his dreams of World Title glory.
He added:
“The atmosphere here is amazing. It’s really a collaborative effort. We watch the fights together, we scout and study, we all give our take on what to do, and help out with the possible game plan for each other.
“But the head of it all is still Eduard. I feel really at ease with Eduard as a coach. He listens to us, to our suggestions. He sees where we’re coming from. He takes care of what we need. He focuses on what needs to be done.
“It’s a big help having [Belingon and Loman] around. Having these two brilliant fighters in the same weight class is a blessing. They push me hard to be a better, more complete fighter.”
