“I’ll take him down if he kicks me” – Jarred Brooks threatens to take Joshua Pacio down to the ground in rematch

Jarred Brooks isn’t going to depend on a roll of the dice to see off Joshua Pacio in their rematch. Instead, the ONE strawweight MMA world champion knows he remains superior wherever the fight unfolds at ONE 166: Qatar.

Much like he did when they first went toe-to-toe some 14 months ago, ‘The Monkey God’ hopes to dish out another solid all-around performance inside the Lusail Sports Arena to add the final nail in the coffin to their rivalry.

When asked about Pacio’s possible approach in their impending world title fight, Jarred Brooks had this to say to the South China Morning Post:

“He isn't going to be doing kicks. Kicks are what got him on his back in the first place. So if he does try kicks, then I'm going to be surprised. But yeah, I'll take him down if he kicks me.”

Watch the full interview here:

Should ‘The Passion’ drop his guard in an attempt to sweep Brooks off his feet, it will make way for the perfect opening ‘The Monkey God’ needs to switch levels and dominate his rival on the canvas.

From there, Jarred Brooks has a plethora of submissions and moves to shift into fifth gear. Whether it’s a back take or forcing the Lions Nation MMA athlete to give up his neck, the American has it in him to make it a long night for anyone when the action hits the ground.

However, doing that wouldn’t be a piece of cake, as Pacio’s takedown defense and ability to hang on the canvas have vastly improved since the pair shared the global stage at ONE 164 in December 2022.

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Jarred Brooks praises Pacio’s grappling finesse ahead of Qatar duel

Though Jarred Brooks seems ultra-confident in coming out on top in their rematch this week, the American athlete does see some huge improvements in Pacio’s game, specifically his grappling.

The former divisional king’s striking has always overshadowed his refined techniques on the canvas, but per Brooks, ‘The Passion’s’ skills on the ground against Mansur Malachiev did indeed raise his eyebrows.

Speaking to The MMA Superfan last week, Jarred Brooks offered:

“Watching Mansur Malachiev going against Yosuke Saruta really showed me where Joshua Pacio is and how much he’s really improved. I’m not saying that Saruta didn’t improve, but I think Joshua’s takedown defense is pretty good. It’s never been bad. But I got those holes covered, a hundred percent.”

ONE 166: Qatar broadcasts live on Friday, March 1, to existing Amazon Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.

Fans around the globe can catch all the action live and free on ONE’s YouTube channel or at watch.onefc.com.