Jarred Brooks says he’s ‘a brand new fighter’ ahead of Joshua Pacio trilogy match in Qatar

Jarred Brooks is determined to deliver his finest performance when he renews his rivalry with Joshua Pacio. The two will meet for the third time in a highly anticipated ONE strawweight MMA world championship unification bout, headlining ONE 171 at the prestigious Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar on Thursday, Feb. 20.

Brooks enters the matchup following a turbulent 2024 — a year that saw him relinquish the lineal strawweight title to Pacio in a controversial rematch in March 2024. That clash ended dramatically when Brooks inadvertently spiked Pacio’s head onto the canvas, rendering the Filipino unconscious.

Under ONE Championship’s Global MMA Rule Set, slams targeting the head, neck, or spine are strictly prohibited. As a consequence, Brooks was disqualified, costing him the gold-plated belt.

Though 'The Monkey God' rebounded by claiming the ONE interim strawweight MMA world championship against Gustavo Balart five months later, his momentum was halted by Reece McLaren in a bid to move up to flyweight. Despite a valiant effort, Brooks fell short in a razor-close decision, marking his second defeat of the year.

While the past 12 months have tested him, Brooks insists he has emerged stronger, seeing every setback as an opportunity for growth. In an interview with The MMA Superfan, he said:

“Even though I boast a lot about who I am as a fighter, but at the same time, man, I like to forget about all of my wins, and all of my losses, and be a brand new fighter each and every time and go out there.”

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Jarred Brooks looks to showcase improvement in Qatar

Since joining ONE in 2021, Jarred Brooks has been a dominant force, using his elite grappling skills to secure three electrifying submission victories in seven outings under the promotion’s banner.

Now, as he looks to reclaim his place atop the division, the American bruiser vows to surpass the standard he has already set and leave no doubt when he shares the Circle with Joshua Pacio once again:

“I think that's what really leads my confidence in going out there and trying to show almost a different version of me every time.”