Lito Adiwang says Gustavo Balart's Olympic wrestling pedigree could be a problem for Jarred Brooks: "They're evenly matched"
Jarred Brooks faces a unique test when he returns to action for the second time this year at ONE Fight Night 24.
The former ONE strawweight MMA world champion is out to prove that he is still the best in his weight class after losing his title last time out.
His rematch with Joshua Pacio at ONE 166 ended in incredibly unfortunate circumstances but an injury to the current champion delayed the prospect of a third-decider fight between them.
In the meantime, Brooks will face a very tough test when he meets Gustavo Balart in the main event on August 2 with the interim title on the line.
'The Monkey God' has been able to effectively use his grappling prowess against many of the other top strawweights to come out on top.
However, Balart brings his own extensive wrestling pedigree to the table as a former Olympian who isn't going to back down from this challenge.
Lito Adiwang, who faced Brooks on the American's ONE debut back in 2021, believes that his former opponent may have met his equal when the two men lock up with one another at Lumpinee Stadium.
He told Sportskeeda MMA in a recent interview:
"I think so, yeah. He can match up with Jarred's wrestling in terms of strength and technique. They're quite evenly matched in that area."
Jarred Brooks will have to put his stamp on the fight
If Jarred Brooks is unable to use his grappling against Gustavo Balart, he could be forced to play his opponent's game.
Whilst the former champ is always working hard to develop his overall game, standing with the Cuban powerhouse is a dangerous game to play.
Brooks can't afford to let Balart dictate the action so utilizing his movement and feints could be key for him in this matchup.
It's sure to be a tough test for him but if you speak to the man himself, he wouldn't want it any other way.
ONE Fight Night 24 will air live in US Primetime, free of charge for Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.