Joshua Pacio takes aim at 'Japan curse' in next world title defense
Joshua Pacio is hoping to end the "Japan curse" when when he defends his ONE strawweight MMA world title against Keito Yamakita in Tokyo on Nov.
Joshua Pacio: What Happened
ESPN reported on Monday, October 19, 2026 in a story involving Joshua Pacio, Japan, Keito Yamakita. Here is how the report opens:
Joshua Pacio is hoping to end the "Japan curse" when when he defends his ONE strawweight MMA world title against Keito Yamakita in Tokyo on Nov. 18.
It is one of many UFC & Boxing stories we are following today. Below are the key takeaways, how the story is being reported across the sport, background on Ultimate Fighting Championship and what to watch next.
Key Takeaways
- The story: Joshua Pacio takes aim at 'Japan curse' in next world title defense
- Who’s involved: Joshua Pacio, Japan, Keito Yamakita and MMA
- League: UFC & Boxing
- First reported: Monday, October 19, 2026 by ESPN
Background: Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in the Las Vegas, Nevada, area. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, itself a majority owned subsidiary of the WME Group. The largest MMA promotion in the world, the UFC has over 578 fighters contracted that fight across 11 weight divisions (eight men's and three women's). The organization produces events worldwide and abides by the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts.
Text from Wikipedia’s Ultimate Fighting Championship article, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What’s Next for Joshua Pacio
For fans following Joshua Pacio, the next things to watch are the fight card, results, rankings and odds. Stories like this one tend to move quickly, so check back for follow-up reports and reaction as more outlets pick it up.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What happened with Joshua Pacio?
Joshua Pacio is hoping to end the "Japan curse" when when he defends his ONE strawweight MMA world title against Keito Yamakita in Tokyo on Nov. 18. ESPN reported the story on Monday, October 19, 2026.
Who reported this UFC story?
ESPN first reported it on Monday, October 19, 2026. ForTheFans summarizes it here with background and related UFC & Boxing news.
Where can I get the latest UFC & Boxing news today?
The ForTheFans UFC & Boxing page collects every UFC headline as it breaks, including fight card, results and rankings, with live scores on our scores page.
Summarized by ForTheFans from reporting by ESPN. Headlines, quoted text and photos belong to their publishers. How we report
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