Jarred Brooks tips his hat to Joshua Pacio’s modest ways despite heated rivalry: “He’s always been respectful”
The rivalry between Jarred Brooks and Joshua Pacio may be one of the most heated in all of ONE Championship, but that doesn't mean the two strawweight warriors don't respect one another.
Pacio's feud with 'The Monkey God' kickstarted all the way back in December 2022 when the two men met at ONE 164 with 'The Passion' putting the ONE strawweight MMA world title against Brooks in their inaugural meeting. After five entertaining rounds of action, Brooks was declared the winner via unanimous decision, taking the 26 pounds of gold back home to the United States.
More than a year later, they would run it back at ONE 166 in Qatar. Sadly, that bout would come to a crashing halt less than a minute in after 'The Monkey God' inadvertently spiked Pacio on the top of his head during a takedown attempt.
Deemed an illegal maneuver, the bout was stopped, Brooks was disqualified, and Pacio was once again declared the ONE strawweight MMA king.
But despite the controversy and all the vitriol, Jarred Brooks and Joshua Pacio maintain a mutual respect for one another.
"Me and Josh, we’ve always had back-and-forth attitudes towards each other a little bit," Brooks said in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda MMA. "But he’s always been respectful, I give him that, and I appreciate that. So yeah, I think he deserves respect and it should go around."
Jarred Brooks looks to recapture ONE Championship gold at One Fight Night 24
With Joshua Pacio still recovering from his injuries, ONE Championship will introduce an interim ONE strawweight MMA world championship on Friday, August 2, when the promotion returns to Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok for ONE Fight Night 24 on Prime Video.
Vying for the belt will be former ONE world champion Jarred Brooks who meets streaking Cuban sensation Gustavo Balart.
Whoever comes out on top in the Mecca of Muay Thai will establish themselves as the top-ranked contender in the division, setting the stage for a massive title clash with Joshua Pacio as soon as 'The Passion' is cleared to return.
Who leaves The Land of Smiles with 26 pounds of interim gold wrapped around their waist?
ONE Championship fans in the United States and Canada can watch ONE Fight Night 24 live and for free via Amazon Prime Video in U.S. primetime on Friday, August 2.