WATCH: The fight that kickstarted Gustavo Balart’s journey to the strawweight MMA crown

Photo Credit: ONE Championship
Photo Credit: ONE Championship

After struggling to find his footing inside the Circle, Cuban sensation Gustavo Balart is one more win away from wrapping 26 pounds of ONE Championship gold around his waist.

Returning to the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium at ONE Fight Night 24 on August 2, 'El Gladiador' will square off with top-ranked contender Jarred Brooks to crown a new interim ONE strawweight MMA world champion.

Ahead of their highly anticipated title tilt inside the Mecca of Muay Thai, ONE Championship is looking back at the beginning of Gustavo Balart's impressive four-fight win streak. After losing three straight on martial arts' biggest global stage, Balart bounced back in a big way, besting Japanese standout Ryuto Sawada.

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"Relive the mixed martial arts THRILLER between Cuban dynamo Gustavo Balart and Japanese warrior Ryuto Sawada at ONE: BATTLEGROUND on 30 July 2021!"
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Balart would go on to win his next three, defeating Yosuke Saruta, Alex Silva, and Hiroba Minowa en route to his first shot at a ONE world title.


Jarred Brooks looks to reclaim gold against Gustavo Balart at ONE Fight Night 24

As good as Gustavo Balart has looked in the last three years, he's never faced a wrestler like Jarred Brooks.

'The Monkey God' made his way to ONE Championship in 2021, earning a couple of impressive submission victories over Lito Adiwang and Bokang Masunyane with another win over the aforementioned Hiroba Minowa in between. Scoring his first title opportunity at ONE 164, Brooks dominated then-champion Joshua Pacio, taking the belt back home with him to the United States.

Sadly, Brooks' reign would come to a disastrous end at ONE 166 in Qatar when he was disqualified less than a minute into their rematch after he inadvertently spiked Pacio onto the top of his head.

With 'The Passion' sidelines, Brooks will have the chance to reclaim gold when he meets Balart in The Land of Smiles later this year.

ONE Championship fans in the United States and Canada can watch ONE Fight Night 24 live and for free via Amazon Prime Video in U.S. primetime on Friday, August 2.

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Edited by Tejas Rathi
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