"There was no next move" - Lito Adiwang explains why Joshua Pacio will be better equipped for inevitable Jarred Brooks trilogy
Lito Adiwang is confident ONE strawweight MMA world champion Joshua Pacio will bring a more evolved arsenal in his unavoidable rubber match alongside interim king Jarred Brooks.
Pacio claimed the division's sought-after 26 pounds of gold at ONE 166: Qatar from the hands of the American superstar after the latter landed an accidental spike to the head under a minute into their world title tilt inside the Lusail Sports Arena.
Though the Filipino warrior has since been on the sidelines due to a non-fight-related injury — with an expected return date early next year — Lito Adiwang remains confident his former teammate who now fights out of Lions Nation MMA will fare better against the Indiana native when they crossed paths down the road.
Speaking exclusively to Sportskeeda MMA, 'Thunder Kid' offered:
"Joshua has become sharper on his takedown defense. He can see and shoots clearer now. Apart from that, he also added more movement after defending. When he first met Jarred, he could stuff the takedowns with his defense, but there was no next move after that."
Lito Adiwang's analysis on Jarred Brooks and Joshua Pacio's first fight is inch-perfect
Lito Adiwang's analysis is certainly spot on. During the pair's first meeting at ONE 164 in December 2022, Joshua Pacio struggled to have a backup plan or a follow-up move despite being able to hold his own against 'The Monkey God' in some scenarios.
On the opposite side of the action, the Mash Fight Team athlete took advantage of that indecisiveness and shone across the 25-minute duel.
The 31-year-old even displayed some world-class striking to go with his ground game acumen as he claimed the gold on the judges' scorecards inside the sold-out Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.
Jarred Brooks has since claimed the division's interim crown with a first-round submission of Gustavo Balart at ONE Fight Night 24 in August this year.