By:  | May 8, 2022 9:09 am

Jarred Brooks memorably promised to bend Joshua Pacio over his knee and spank him. That was back in January but the Filipino clearly hasn’t forgotten.

With Brooks having secured himself a strawweight title shot the reigning champion decided to indulge in some trash talking of his own. They don’t have a date for their fight yet but when it happens Pacio promises to,

“Show him who’s the best strawweight on the planet and who the real daddy is.”

Very slick

Brooks earned his shot by submitting Bokang Masunyane in the opening round at ONE 156. Pacio was watching that fight and admits he was impressed by the American,

“I expected a unanimous decision win by Brooks, but he displayed his wrestling and grappling prowess. I must say, I’m very impressed. Bokang is a fine wrestler and I think he wanted to prove that but Brooks was very slick taking his back.”

While there is no question that Pacio will be facing Brooks yet there is still no date set for the strawweight title fight. But the Filipino says he is ready whenever he gets the call,

“Any time soon. I’m ready to go.”

Business side

Team Lakay are renowned for not trash talking. So the fact that Pacio has felt the need to respond to Brooks suggests that the UFC veteran might have succeeded in getting under his skin.

But he has been in the game long enough to understand what the American is doing and why,

“I think I have a fair idea about this sport’s business side, and I’ve seen a lot of guys like him talk to market themselves, so I understand what he’s playing. As for me, I’m just focused on my training and our game plan. I’m just happy he talks a lot and doing all that hype.”

New tricks

Pacio is a veteran of 12 ONE Championship fights and has been on the roster since 2016. But he says he still has some tricks that no-one has seen,

“I’m focusing on everything because this is MMA. I know his strength is wrestling, but I have a lot of tools in my game that I haven’t yet demonstrated inside the circle.”

Pacio posted a video of him watching Brooks beat Masunyane at home. The American saw it and promised to buy him a new TV after he had beaten him.

Better fighter

While he is happy with his current TV the champion says he’s going to buy a new one with his win bonus after he beat Brooks,

“I don’t need a new TV. But when he loses, I’ll charge him for that TV, and I will put it in my bathroom.”

Quite how putting a TV in the bathroom would upset Brooks isn’t clear. The challenger certainly seems to be a better trash talker but Pacio is out to prove that he is the better fighter.