Joshua Pacio is convinced that he is a much better fighter than the one who showed up in his last World Title defense, and he has a chance to prove it in just over a week and that too against his arch nemesis, Jared Brooks.

‘The Passion’ is set to rematch Jarred Brooks for the ONE Strawweight MMA World Title at ONE 166: Qatar – the promotion’s first event in Qatar – on Friday, March 1, inside the Lusail Sports Arena.

Joshua Pacio reflects on his loss

Before their first meeting at ONE 164 in December 2022, Pacio was riding high on a four-fight win streak, and he was arguably the most dominant World Champion in the division’s history. But Brooks proved too much for him when they squared off, leading to the Filipino superstar losing the World Title by unanimous decision.

In an interview with ONE, Pacio said he took the loss to heart and is using it as motivation to turn in a better performance in the rematch.“I lost in a fight where I didn’t showcase my absolute best. That disappointment lingered within me for a long time,” Pacio said.

He further added “Now, I’m turning that disappointment into my fuel for this fight. I know the lapses I committed in the first fight, and in the rematch, I will aim to rectify them.”

Pacio certainly did his homework on Brooks ahead of their initial battle, and he defended well against the American’s takedown attempts. Unfortunately, this prevented him from getting his offense going, which ultimately led to his downfall. However ‘The Passion’ is sure that his comeback would be much stronger than anyone.

Pacio is confident about his victory in the next match.

After beating a strong grappler in previously undefeated star Mansur Malachiev in his last outing in ONE, ‘The Passion’ is confident that he can more than hold his own when he meets his old foe, Aka, Jarred Brooks again.

Read More: Reinier De Ridder Vows Revenge Against Anatoly Malykhin at ONE 166: Qatar

He vows to come out with a more aggressive approach in Qatar and has no doubt in his mind that it will yield positive results. “This is mixed martial arts. It’s either you will get hit, or you will get taken down. This camp has taught me to have the proper mindset. If I am one of the best in the world, I should fight like it,” Pacio said.

He further added “That’s the goal of this training camp – to fight with no hesitation. In this rematch, I must fight the way I really fight. I see two [possible outcomes]: It’s either I win by knockout or I win by decision. Jarred Brooks is no pushover. He can strike, and he can wrestle. But I’m prepared wherever the fight goes.”

Pacio is willing to take risks for revenge but how it will play against him is yet to be determined. What’s your opinion on their rematch?

Read More: “They Can All Wait in Line” – Jonathan Haggerty Makes a Statement After Retaining ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title