ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Jarred Brooks recently became a father, and it has helped push him to strive to be even better than he already is. This Friday, March 1, “The Monkey God” will defend the World Title for the first time when he rematches former divisional king Joshua Pacio at ONE 166: Qatar inside the Lusail Sports Arena.
Brooks found a new purpose after welcoming his daughter to the world, and he credits his partner for allowing him to focus on training when he needs to.
Jarred Brooks talks about fighting after the birth of his daughter
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“I’ve got to give kudos to my soon-to-be-wife, Francesca. She is literally like a plus mom. It’s her first child, and she’s killing it. I think she could have a show or a TikTok just showing how to raise a child,” he shared.
He then added, “I’m focusing on my fight. Don’t get me wrong, I just fed my baby and held her. But at the same time, Francesca is prioritizing that. I’m prioritizing this. This fight is going to change our lives and give me momentum into being the best Jarred Brooks that I can be.”
Jarred Brooks is undefeated in MMA competition in his ONE tenure. He reached the top of the division by amassing four wins from as many fights, including his World Title-winning performance against Pacio in December 2022.
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In his most recent outing, the Mash Fight Team representative stepped out of his comfort zone to challenge Mikey Musumeci for the ONE Flyweight Submission Grappling World Title. While he failed to become a two-sport titleholder, he proved to the world that he could be a threat against the best grapplers on the planet.
Also Read: Joshua Pacio Is “100 Percent Ready” With Lions Nation MMA Ahead of His Rematch With Jarred Brooks
“The Monkey God” sends a warning to his opponents who are yet to face him
Despite his impressive run in ONE Championship and a slew of accolades, Brooks believes he has unlocked an even more dangerous side of himself since becoming a father.
“My opponents need to watch out because you hear this crying baby in the background – she is the biggest thing to me. I thought mixed martial arts was (my life), and I thought that’s what I wanted to kill for,” he said.
“But, oh man, I am so ready to rip all of your heads off and get that money for my baby to get her some food and to make sure that she has the best life possible. I’m going to get her college tuition paid for through all of your guys’ heads. I appreciate you. I love you. But it’s got to happen.”
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Just 3 days left! 🗓️ Don’t miss Jarred Brooks defending the ONE Strawweight MMA World Title against Joshua Pacio at ONE 166: Qatar! 🏆#ONE166: Qatar presented by @VisitQatar @MediacityQa @OoredooQatar
March 1 at 3:30PM AST
🎟️ Tickets: https://t.co/x9abdwimwY… pic.twitter.com/sgf5LJQhkz— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) February 27, 2024
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All the action from ONE’s first event in the Middle East will be broadcast live and for free on Prime Video for Amazon subscribers across North America on Friday, March 1.