"I'm going to do this right" - Redemption-seeking Jarred Brooks eager to kickstart second reign as strawweight MMA champ
Jarred Brooks' reign as strawweight MMA world champion came to a devastatingly abrupt end at ONE 166 last March.
What was supposed to be a moment of glory turned to despair in just a matter of seconds, as Brooks got disqualified for committing an illegal slam to now 125-pound champion Joshua Pacio.
As 'The Passion' currently recuperates from a knee injury, the American will get a shot at redemption this coming Friday, August 2, in the main event of ONE Fight Night 24: Brooks vs Balart on Prime Video.
'The Monkey God' will vie for the interim strawweight MMA world title against third-ranked contender Gustavo Balart inside the iconic Lumpinee Stadium ring in Bangkok, Thailand.
While his next match won't be the inevitable trilogy with Pacio, Brooks relishes the opportunity to redeem himself and begin his second reign as king of the division.
If Brooks beats Balart and sets up a unification bout with his Filipino rival, the 31-year-old promises to learn from his mistakes. He told ONE:
"I think that's an important aspect to have now, especially [since] I'm trying to be a champion [again]. You know, my first ride in anything bro, I always mess it up. Literally always mess it up. But the second time, I always do it right. I think me being champion, I'm going to do this right next time."
Jarred Brooks grateful for new challenge that Gustavo Balart brings
Focusing solely on Joshua Pacio for the last two years has been quite mentally draining for Jarred Brooks.
While there's definitely some unsettled business between the two rivals, the Mash Fight Team admits preparing for a different opponent is a breath of fresh air.
Jarred Brooks said in a ONE interview:
"When you go against this kind of opponent for almost like two years, there's no incubation. There's no getting better. You just focus on this guy."
ONE Fight Night 24 will air live in US Primetime, free of charge for those with a Prime Video subscription in North America.