Interim strawweight champ Jarred Brooks proud to showcase elite jiu-jitsu in one-round submission of Gustavo Balart

Jarred Brooks has no problem admitting that his game plan went out the window after the opening bell at ONE Fight Night 24. The former champion had a strategy in mind heading into the main event but he chose to adapt in the moment.

Rather than using his striking against a highly regarded wrestler in Gustavo Balart, Brooks engaged in a grappling contest with him. The main focus of 'The Monkey God' was to wear his opponent down so that he could take over later on in the fight, but this never needed to play out.

Showing his ability to secure a finish when it presented itself, Brooks demonstrated his jiu-jitsu skills to take Balart's back and submit him in the opening round.

In his post-event interviews, the new interim strawweight world champion spoke about adjusting his approach when necessary to close the show early:

"I was trying to keep him there and try to get him tired because I knew he was going to get tired withing that second to third round. But yeah, I'm thankful for actually going on my back for once and having to rely on my jiu-jitsu and my other skills."

---

Jarred Brooks didn't need to showcase his overall game

Just like in many of his performances under the ONE Championship banner, Jarred Brooks was so effective with his grappling that he didn't need to show his entire hand.

'The Monkey God' wanted to tire his opponent in the early stages but when he found himself taking Balart's back, he was never going to pass up the opportunity for an early night.

After several attempts came close but didn't secure the tap, Brooks made the right adjustments to lock in the choke.

The interim champ is still getting better, but this fight was all about his ability to read a fight, adapt, and capitalize on the moment.

The replay of ONE Fight Night 24 is available on demand for Prime Video subscribers in North America.

​