“Joshua will have to take notice” - Stephen Loman says Joshua Pacio should avoid Jarred Brooks’ wrestling at all costs in trilogy fight

Second-ranked ONE Championship bantamweight MMA contender 'The Sniper' Stephen Loman of the Philippines says his Lions Nation MMA teammate, reigning ONE strawweight MMA world champion 'The Passion' Joshua Pacio will need to do everything in his power to avoid Jarred Brooks' wrestling.

Brooks took home the ONE interim strawweight MMA crown earlier this month with a first-round submission over Cuba's Gustavo Balart. As always, 'The Monkey God' used his elite wrestling to get the job done against the former Olympian.

Loman says Brooks' wrestling is legit, and 'The Passion' must avoid those grappling exchanges at all costs.

'The Sniper' told Sportskeeda MMA in an exclusive interview:

"Joshua has to avoid those grappling exchanges, and I think he’ll try to keep the distance against Jarred in this third fight. I also expect Joshua to defend against Jarred’s bread and butter, which is wrestling. Joshua will have to take notice of keeping his distance and defending Jarred’s wrestling. He won’t allow Jarred to just take a leg and land a takedown."

Needless to say, Brooks is absolutely legit when it comes to the mats, and it will be in Pacio's best interests to stay away from 'The Monkey God's vaunted grappling.

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Stephen Loman says Joshua Pacio must close the distance against Jarred Brooks: "He allowed Jarred a bit too much space"

Watching their first fight at ONE 166: Qatar closely, 'The Sniper' Stephen Loman says Lions Nation MMA teammate 'The Passion' Joshua Pacio simply gave 'The Monkey God' Jarred Brooks too much room to operate.

Loman believes Pacio should smother Brooks in their trilogy match, keep close and dangerous with the in-striking.

'The Sniper' told Sportskeeda MMA:

"I think Joshua already knows how to fight Jarred. Jarred will stop at nothing to take you down to the mat, try to get your back, try to get a leg. I think that was the mistake Joshua made in the first fight, he allowed Jarred a bit too much space to grapple."