Brooks challenges world champ Team Lakay’s Pacio to fight

 Carlo Quinto

Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks has had his eyes set on the ONE Strawweight World Championship since joining The Home of Martial Arts. In fact, the Mash Fight Team representative has been calling out current titleholder Joshua “The Passion” Pacio after every fight he’s had inside the Circle.

The 28-year-old combatant will finally get his wish after defeating Bokang “Little Giant” Masunyane at ONE 156. Brooks will be Pacio’s next challenger, and he gave a timetable on when the ONE World Title showdown may happen.

“It's going to be sooner than later if Joshua takes it,” the Michigan-based competitor said before adding: “Joshua, you better take it.”

Brooks made his first three fights in ONE Championship look easy. He defeated Pacio’s teammate, Lito Adiwang, via a second-round submission and dominated Hiroba Minowa to score a unanimous decision victory.

Masunyane should have offered a stiffer challenge, given that he was the top-ranked strawweight contender. However, Brooks ensured that his rear-naked choke would stick. The South African tried to escape but tapped out at the 4:39 mark of round one.

“What I wanted to do was go wrist-to-wrist instead of going the S-grip. So, I finally got that through my head to go wrist-to-wrist and fight each way to get underneath his neck,” Brooks said.

“Luckily, I got underneath when I did, but if we went to the second or third, I think it would have been similar.”

Pacio paid close attention to the contest that determined his next foe. And, in Team Lakay fashion, he congratulated Brooks on his latest accomplishment. But ever the showman, Brooks found a way to take another verbal jab at the ONE Strawweight World Champion.

“I just watched his Instagram story congratulating me, and he's a classy guy. But I got to get that guy some more money with the TV that he has. I'll buy him a new TV with the money [I get from beating] him,” he said.

Furthermore, the Mash Fight Team competitor thinks their ONE World Title bout will be a stroll in the park. While he sees Adiwang as the more explosive fighter, he does point out that Pacio is a technically savvy warrior who is patient in setting up his strategy. Despite their differences, Brooks sees no problem dethroning “The Passion.”

“I think it would go the same way as Lito, that I would choke him out in the first or second round. I think I'm getting better in almost every fight, and I think I could make him have trouble on the feet and the ground,” he said.

But while he will be a thorn in Pacio’s quest to retain the belt, the American indirectly recognized the Baguio-based titleholder’s reign.

“He's pretty much had that belt for four years straight. If I can beat him, and then I end up fighting him again and beat him again, that just puts a staple on an outstanding career so far,” Brooks said.