Former ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Jarred Brooks is set to return to the ring, leaving his troubled past behind. His sole focus is now on reclaiming the Interim ONE Strawweight championship title. He will face Gustavo Balart in the main event of ONE Fight Night 24 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. In a recent interview with Sportskeeda MMA, Jarred Brooks revealed his true motivation.

“It’s all about Naomi. It’s not about Jarred Brooks,” Brooks said. ” It’s all about my daughter at this point. I’m like a shell myself to make sure she has enough life to keep on dreaming and growing.” His daughter Naomi was born in late 2023 with his longtime partner, Francesca.

This isn’t the first time Jarred Brooks has spoken about his daughter. He mentioned her in the past, often emphasizing how she changed him. The American often credits his daughter for giving him more motivation to fight despite already claiming the division’s top prize nearly a year before her birth.

Unfortunately, he lost the title back to Joshua Pacio in a rematch due to a disqualification for an illegal slam. Now, Brooks is determined to beat Gustavo Balart and reclaim the championship belt once again.

Jarred Brooks’ strategy for Gustavo Balart

On August 2nd, Jarred Brooks will aim to get back on the winning track following his latest setback. He will face the third-ranked Gustavo Balart, who is currently riding a four-fight winning streak, including a recent victory over Japanese sensation Hiroba Minowa at ONE 165 in Tokyo. Jarred Brooks has secured four wins under the ONE Championship banner.

In a recent interview with ABS-CBN News, Jarred Brooks revealed his true intentions of securing his first knockout in the promotion. He stated, “I want it to be a first-round knockout; every fighter wants a first-round knockout. But Gustavo has proven again and again that in the second and third, he gases.”

It will be intriguing to see if Jarred Brooks can knock out Gustavo Balart, fueled by the motivation from his daughter Naomi. However, Brooks won’t be the only one fighting for loved ones. Balart will also strive to reunite with his family after an eight-year separation, aiming to secure the ONE Interim Strawweight MMA World Title so that he can bring his family to America. It’s only a matter of time before we find out who will fulfill their goal. Stay tuned to find out.