“Even Though They Booed Me, I Know They Love Me”- Interim Champion Jarred Brooks Declares Love for Philippines as He Eyes Trilogy Fight With Joshua Pacio

Fresh off a stunning victory over Gustavo Balart at ONE Fight Night 24 to capture the ONE Interim Strawweight MMA World Championship, Jarred Brooks is ready for his next challenge. His sights are firmly set on Joshua Pacio, the divisional king for a World Title unification bout. To gain a psychological edge over Pacio, Brooks plans to win over the Filipino fighter’s countrymen, hoping to at least lessen the home-court support for Pacio if they settle the score in the Philippines.

In a recent interview with ONE Championship following his victory, Brooks discussed various topics, including his relationship with the legendary Team Lakay coach Mark Sangio and the Filipino fans. Brooks stated, “I love Manila. I love the Philippines. Every one of those guys over there treated me with nothing but dignity and respect, and even though they booed me, I know that they love me deep down inside.”

Jarred Brooks and Joshua Pacio have a history of intense competition. They first clashed at ONE 164 back in December 2022, where Brooks put on a gutsy performance to dethrone Pacio and claim the ONE Strawweight MMA World Championship. However, Brooks’ reign was short-lived as he failed to keep the belt in his first defense.

At ONE 166: Qatar last March, the pair met for a rematch that ended abruptly when Brooks was disqualified for an illegal slam. This forced him to relinquish the belt back to Pacio.

Jarred Brooks on defeating Joshua Pacio at the inevitable trilogy

By defeating Gustavo Balart via rear-naked choke in the first round at ONE Fight Night 24 and capturing the division’s interim belt, Jarred Brooks took a significant step towards his ultimate goal: reclaiming the ONE Strawweight MMA World Title from Joshua Pacio.

In the post-fight press conference, Brooks expressed his excitement about the victory, stating, “It means a lot, but it’s gonna feel way better when I get to go against Joshua Pacio and unify that world championship and take that away from him twice in Manila.” Joshua Pacio, sidelined with an ACL injury, is currently recovering.

Despite being out of action, he congratulated Jarred Brooks on his ONE Fight Night 24 victory but also issued a warning. With no confirmed return date for ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Joshua Pacio, the highly anticipated indication fight against Jarred Brooks remains in the pipeline.

As the rivalry heats up, fans can expect an official announcement about the trilogy match once the champ is fully recovered. Stay tuned for updates.