Former ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio expects a game of chess when he takes on current divisional ruler Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks.
More than a year after they last met, the two strawweight greats battle once more at ONE 166: Qatar for Brooks’ ONE Strawweight MMA World Title this Friday, 1 March, inside Lusail Sports Arena.
Brooks beat Pacio at ONE 164 in the Philippines in December of 2022, and the Filipino expects a whole lot of changes entering this matchup.
“We have a surprise for Jarred Brooks, and I expect that he intends to surprise me as well. I know he watched my last fight against Mansur Malachiev, and I expect him to base his game plan on that fight,” he said.
“As for me, I focused on our last fight and what he did well. It’s gonna be a battle of the brains, but I have the perfect team to brainstorm with, from coaches Don Don [Colas], Godwin [Langbayan], Gibran [Langbayan], and Kuya Eduard [Folayang]. I’ve already visualized this match,” he added.
“I know how he likes his takedowns now, and it’s up to me to stop it.”
Indeed, Pacio went through some major changes for this contest. He started by joining Lions Nation MMA and leaving Team Lakay, a squad he represented since turning pro.
He can feel those changes now as he comes in during training sessions truly motivated with a fresh, encouraging energy surrounding his camp.
“As an athlete, it’s so helpful to be able to come to the gym and feel at home. You come in confident, you come in happy with the environment. It’s a big help,” he said.
“That’s one of my advantages now. I truly feel all the support from my team. We added Kuya Vince [Loman] (Stephen’s brother) as our strength and conditioning coach. He’s helping me out with explosiveness and speed.
“We’re doing fight simulations. Coach Gibran Langbayan added Godwin to help me out in this fight. He’s one of the best BJJ athletes in the Philippines and also a member of Sambo Philippines.”
With that in mind, Pacio knows that he’ll be coming into this contest a different man from who he was more than a year ago, and it starts with his confidence.
“The things that we trained for, our combinations, it has to come out in that fight. That’s one thing I truly changed entering this fight, my mindset,” he said.
“I know I have to be confident. I have to realize that I’m already one of the best in the world, and there’s no better stage to show it than this fight,” he added.
“Sure, I’m fighting the best fighter in the world in my division, but I have to remember that I’m also one of the best, and I have to come in without any hesitation.”
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