Gustavo Balart shares unyielding attitude ahead of Jarred Brooks title clash: "Thinking of my daughters is what gives me strength"

Top strawweight MMA contender Gustavo Balart will be thinking about reuniting with his family when he fights Jarred Brooks at ONE Fight Night 24.

The Cuban native hasn't seen his family these last eight years since moving to the United States to develop his career as a professional mixed martial artist.

A former Olympic wrestler, Balart knew that if he stayed in Cuba, there would be no future for him and his family. And although sometimes it feels like a fool's errand to make it big as an MMA world champion, he draws inspiration from his daughters to get through the tough times.

"Thinking of my daughters is what gives me strength to go on, " Balart began telling ONE Championship.

"They are the reason why I get up and fight even if I feel that I can no longer do it. I think having my family here with me would be the best thing I could achieve."

On August 2 at ONE Fight Night 24, Balart will face former divisional king Jarred Brooks for the ONE interim strawweight MMA world title.

Over the last few years, 'El Gladiador' has added a lot of excitement to his matches due to his speed, wrestling acumen, and uncommon 4 ft 11 height.

In addition to his ability to outwrestle and dominate bigger opponents, Balart is also an explosive and dangerous striker, which is how he earned a shot at the interim world title.

ONE Fight Night 24 will air live in US Primetime, free of charge for Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.

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"He will be tested" - Gustavo Balart plans to push Jarred Brooks beyond his comfort level with a diverse range of fighting abilities

Gustavo Balart believes he's ready to push Jarred Brooks beyond his comfort level with a diverse range of fighting abilities.

The American Top Team representative hopes to surprise the fans with a more well-rounded aspect of himself rather than focusing on one particular area.

Lately, he's been specializing in boxing, kickboxing, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which means he has more than just his wrestling acumen to secure victory.

Moreover, Balart has proven to be a difficult opponent to take down due to his insane athleticism and well-versed defense. Every rival he's faced within the last three years has come out on the losing end against Balart, and perhaps so will Jarred Brooks.

Speaking to ONE, Balart said:

"He will have a hard time trying to take me down. He will be tested. I will match his level and intensity."