By:  | November 24, 2022 9:24 am

Jarred Brooks will be headlining ONE 164 at the MOA Arena next Saturday. The American has made it very clear he wants a title shot and has finally been granted his request.

Brooks will take on local hero Joshua Pacio and the atmosphere in Manila is sure to be electric. The fans definitely won’t be cheering for the American but if there is one thing that Brooks definitely doesn’t lack it is confidence,

“I’m a masterclass in this game. I don’t think anybody in this division can hang with me,” he told ONEFC.com.

Seasoned competitor

Another thing Brooks clearly doesn’t lack is experience. He has fought for the UFC, Rizin, Pancrase and Bellator competing 22 times across four different continents.

The 29 year old is no stranger to hostile receptions. He took on Deiveson Figueiredo in Sao Paulo in 2017, the Brazilian remains one of only two fighters to have ever beaten Brooks who was entitled to question the judging that night.

He thinks this experience gives him an advantage over absolutely everyone on the ONE Championship roster including Pacio,

“I don’t want to sound crazy cocky or anything, but I’ve been in this game for too long. And I’ve gone through most of what a mixed martial artist can go through. I don’t think that any of those guys have taken the (same) steps.”

Deep water

But while Brooks feels he will have too much for Pacio he is not looking past the Filipino,

“(Pacio) is smart. He’s intelligent. He knows how to be a champion. He’s fought championship rounds, but I don’t think he’s gone against the kind of animal that I am.”

The fight has been in the works for the best part of a year and Brooks has had plenty of time to review footage of the Filipino’s fights,

“I’ve studied Josh, just as much as he’s studied me. I’ve kept Josh on my mind this whole time, and it’s coming to fruition this time. So, I think that Josh does have good skills, and he considers himself a martial artist, but I’m going to prove to him that he needs to work on more facets of his mixed martial arts.”

Wearing out

Brooks already has a win over Pacio’s team mate Lito Adiwang. Don’t expect the UFC veteran to go all out looking for an early finish as he believes the key to victory will be gradually wearing the champion down,

“I’m looking to tire people out right off the bat, put them in deep water, and then put them out. I mean, don’t get me wrong, Josh doesn’t really get tired. But the people that he’s gone against aren’t grinders like me.”

Pacio has experience of five rounders but Brooks has never had to fight for more than three rounds. But while he admits the Filipino has got stamina the challenger believes he is going to test it like no previous opponent has ever done,

“If I grind against you and I’m a little bit tired, I promise you you’re going to be more tired than me at the end of the day.”

This will be Brooks’ first time headlining a ONE Championship card and the 29 year old certainly believes he belongs at the top of the card,

“I mean, there are people that are better than me in certain aspects and certain things but I’m altogether the main event.”

He has fought all over the world and taken on some of the best strawweights and flyweights but Brooks has no doubt what a victory next Saturday would represent,

“This will be my biggest win ever.”