“I have no problem with it” - Joshua Pacio says Jarred Brooks can trash talk all he wants in a potential trilogy
New ONE strawweight MMA world champion Joshua Pacio has no problem if Jarred Brooks wants to play the bad guy to help promote a potential trilogy bout between the two.
Pacio and Brooks' fiery feud first came to a head at ONE 164 when they met in a headline bout for 26 pounds of strawweight gold. Pacio walked into the contest as the world champ but left empty-handed after 'The Monkey God' delivered a dominant performance over the five-round affair.
But Brooks was far from done, continuing to trash-talk Pacio and welcoming the Filipino star to run it back. They did exactly that at ONE 166 in Qatar. Sadly, the contest ended in the opening minute after Brooks picked up Pacio and spiked him on the top of his end. Though it was clearly unintentional, it was deemed an illegal maneuver that resulted in his immediate disqualification.
Rumors are already circulating about a trilogy between the two, which Pacio is happy to accept.
Speaking with The MMA Superfan, Pacio revealed that despite the continued digs taken on social media and in interviews, he has a very good relationship with Brooks and has no issue with all the bad guy antics.
"We are professionals. I think yes, Jarred Brooks is a showman," Brooks said. "If he wants to sell a third fight again, I have no problem with it. Like what I've said, people see him as a [heel], which is a reason why some people want to watch our fight. Our relationship is great, but he can still do those antics to sell our fight."
Jarred Brooks shows Joshua Pacio some love following ONE 166
Following the events of ONE 166, Jarred Brooks visited his division rival in the hospital and displayed a completely different demeanor than the one he's come to be known for. 'The Monkey God' was genuinely concerned for his opponent and made it clear that despite what he says in the media, he has nothing but love and respect for Joshua Pacio.
"My brother I am so happy to see you and give you a big hug!!" Brooks wrote on Instagram after visiting Pacio following their encounter in Qatar. "Glad to see you're happy and healthy!! Congrats champ!!"
As for a trilogy bout, it's safe to assume that ONE Championship fans would love to see that fight happen just as soon as 'The Passion' is fully recovered and 100% ready to go.
If you missed any of the action or want to relive an epic night in ONE Championship history, you can watch the ONE 166: Qatar reply on demand via Amazon Prime Video in North America.