By:  | November 27, 2023 8:02 am

The long awaited rematch between Jarred Brooks and Joshua Pacio will finally happen in 2024. The American did not compete in MMA at all this year while the Filipino is coming off a big win over a top contender.

Brooks beat Pacio by unanimous decision last year to win the strawweight title. The American has not been sitting idly on the sidelines, he did get to compete in submission grappling and was submitted by Mikey Musumeci.

Brooks lost that but he is undefeated in MMA since signing for ONE Championship. Pacio is coming off an impressive win over Mansur Malachiev which cemented his status as the #1 contender.

Chatri Sityodtong told SCMP MMA last week that the two men would finally rematch next year:

“I’m not supposed to say this because it’s not been confirmed. But Jarred Brooks versus Joshua Pacio II is happening early next year. I was just in a matchmaking meeting and they were going through a bunch of different matchups, but that’s happening and it’s going to get announced very soon.”

Top contender

Brooks beat Pacio by decision at ONE 164 last December. Since then the Filipino has moved from Team Lakay to Lion’s Nation MMA and has also registered one of the most impressive wins of his career.

At ONE Fight Night 15 he beat Mansur Malachiev by decision. The Russian came into that contest with an 11-0 record and if there were any doubts as to whether Pacio was the #1 contender he dispelled them with that victory.

Brooks only outing this year was the submission grappling bout with Musumeci at ONE Fight Night 13. He was moving up to flyweight to challenge the BJJ black belt for his title and put on an impressive performance, in what appeared to be an almost unwinnable fight.

Brooks was submitted late in the ten minute round but still managed to demonstrate his grappling prowess:

Uphill task

Brooks has the odds stacked against him in the flyweight submission grappling bout with Musumeci. Moving down to his natural weight class to take on an opponent he has already beaten once the UFC veteran will be very confident of getting back to winning ways.

Pacio clearly has an uphill task, having struggled to prevent the experienced wrestler from taking him down in the first fight. He is fighting out of a completely different camp now and will hope that the trainers at Lion’s Nation MMA can come up with a gameplan to help him beat Brooks.

Pacio’s takedown defence will need to be on point. He is coming off a decision win over a Russian wrestler and will have the opportunity to capture the ONE Championship strawweight title for a third time in 2024.