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Reigning ONE strawweight MMA world champion and Lions Nation MMA co-founder 'The Passion' Joshua Pacio of the Philippines admits he was thrown for a loop against American rival 'The Monkey God' Jarred Brooks when they first fought in the Circle.
Although Pacio holds the interim strawweight MMA titleholder in high regard, the Filipino star says there's one distinct skill that Brooks possesses, which he wasn't exactly anticipating.
Speaking to ONE Championship in a recent interview, Pacio said it was 'The Monkey God's exceptional footwork that caught him off guard in their first encounter.
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'The Passion' said:
"In the first fight, it was his footwork that really made the difference. He’ll move around, create distance, fire back with a one-two hook combination."
Now, the two are ready to run it back a third time.
'The Passion' Joshua Pacio is set to unify the ONE strawweight MMA throne with interim king 'The Monkey God' Jarred Brooks this week.
The two lock horns in the main event of ONE 171: Qatar, which will broadcast live from the Lusail Sports Arena in Lusail, Qatar, this Thursday, February 20.
Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action live and absolutely free via watch.onefc.com.
Joshua Pacio ready to let rivalry with Jarred Brooks end after trilogy meeting: "I’ll welcome that friendship"
'The Passion' Joshua Pacio believes that this third and perhaps final fight against American rival 'The Monkey God' Jarred Brooks will be the last time the two meet in the cage. Or at least he hopes so.
With a victory, Pacio is looking forward to showing Brooks some good old Filipino hospitality as friends and colleagues.
'The Passion' told ONE Championship:
"That’s how it should go. We’re all martial artists. We fight to show our skills. We’re just competitors. But outside the cage, we’re all friends. I’ll welcome that friendship."
Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding the Joshua Pacio vs. Jarred Brooks trilogy.
