“His takedown defense is good” – Jarred Brooks lauds Joshua Pacio’s grappling improvements in win over Mansur Malachiev

Reigning and undisputed ONE strawweight MMA world champion ‘The Monkey God’ Jarred Brooks acknowledges rival Joshua Pacio’s improvements in the grappling department. But the 31-year-old American veteran says it simply won’t be enough when they meet in the ONE Championship Circle next weekend.

Brooks is set for a highly anticipated rematch with Pacio, the division’s former king and no.1-ranked contender, at ONE 166: Qatar. The bout will be for the ONE strawweight MMA world title and will take place live from the Lusail Sports Arena in Lusail, Qatar on Friday, March 1.

Speaking to YouTube channel, The MMA Superfan, in an exclusive interview, Brooks said he has witnessed Pacio’s evolution as a fighter in recent throwdowns with Mansur Malachiev and Yosuke Saruta. But that it won’t matter when they meet head to head.

‘The Monkey God’ stated:

“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.”

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Jarred Brooks says Joshua Pacio has remained the same fighter despite leaving Team Lakay: “Half of those guys are not working as hard”

Joshua Pacio and a handful of Team Lakay veterans left the Baguio City-based stable to form their own team, Lions Nation MMA. But Jarred Brooks says it’s all for naught and that he hasn’t done much of anything different that will help him.

Brooks added:

“I think that’s going to play a key factor into this match-up as well. I think half of those guys are not working as hard, and I’m paying attention to the videos that you’re putting out, to the videos that Lions Nation MMA’s putting out, all of it. I’m looking at it and you guys are working like the way you were working with Team Lakay.”

ONE 166: Qatar broadcasts live on Friday, March 1, to existing Amazon Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada. Fans can catch all the action live and free. Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates on ONE Championship.