Former ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion, Jarred ‘The Monkey God’ Brooks, reclaims ONE gold in his next outing. He’ll face Cuba’s Gustavo Balart at ONE Fight Night 24 for the ONE Interim Strawweight MMA World Championship. The fight is set for US primetime on August 2nd at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok.

Determined to get back on track, Jarred Brooks sent a warning to Balart in an interview with an MMA media outlet, making this matchup even more interesting.

Jarred Brooks challenges Gustavo Balart

American fighter Jarred Brooks, known for his colorful pre-fight trash talk, embraces it as a strategy in MMA. He once even said, “A closed mouth doesn’t get fed,” highlighting its effectiveness in securing opportunities. In a recent interview with Sportskeeda MMA, “The Monkey God” warned Gustavo Balart, stating he would “squeeze” him. “He [Gustavo Balart] has never been held in a fight like,” Brooks added. “I will hold you there, and keep your little a** there. I’m gonna squeeze you down and hold you there.” This warning shows that Jarred Brooks is determined to get back on top of the division once again.

However, defeating Balart isn’t Jarred Brooks’ sole goal. After losing his title to Joshua Pacio earlier this year because of an illegal slam, he is now focused on reclaiming his lost reputation. Brooks also aims to amaze everyone at the Lumpinee Stadium with a stunning finish, including ONE Championship’s Chatri Sityodtong.

Jarred Brooks’ personal commitment

The beginning of 2024 wasn’t kind to Jarred Brooks. He lost his ONE Strawweight MMA World Title to Joshua Pacio in a rematch earlier this year in Qatar, where Brooks was disqualified and had to surrender his belt to the Filipino fighter. Now, eager to make a comeback, ‘The Monkey God’ has vowed to deliver a spectacular finish.

In the interview, he declared, “I want to go out there and have a spectacular finish. Wow Chatri [Sityodtong], wow the judges, wow everyone and the fans over in Thailand.” Right now, a wow performance is crucial for him to reclaim his former glory.

What do you think about Jarred Brooks’ statement? Will he be able to defeat Cuba’s sensation, Gustavo Balart, who is on a four-fight win streak, in the upcoming ONE Interim Strawweight MMA World Championship? Share your thoughts in the comments.