ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio is raring to show the new dimensions that he’s added to his game, and on Saturday, 3 December, he’ll have the perfect chance to do so. Pacio defends his strap against red-hot Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks at ONE 164 inside the Mall of Asia Arena, and the Filipino believes that this will be the fight in which he showcases his entire arsenal.
In his previous fight with Yosuke Saruta, it didn’t take long for Pacio to put a lid on that trilogy, knocking out his Japanese counterpart in just a single round.
Expecting a longer fight against Brooks, Pacio believes now’s the perfect time to show his improvements.
“I have tools that I haven’t shown yet. In my last outing, I wanted to show a lot of things, but the match ended quickly,” Pacio said.
“I know this is going to be a tough fight, and I’ll be able to show the new things that I’ve learned through the years.”
Pacio will also have to find a solution to stop Brooks’ wrestling, and the Team Lakay star knows that’s not going to be easy. But he promises to make things harder for the American by surprising him with a few tricks.
“Of course his wrestling will give me problems, but I’ve trained for it. We’re ready for it. But expect me to be a problem for him as well,” he said.
“I have tools that I haven’t shown yet. I know this is going to be a tough fight, and I’ll be able to show the new things that I’ve learned through the years.”
Pacio won’t be actively looking for a finish, as he’s focused on beating Brooks at every facet of the game.
“This fight will all boil down to who wants it more. I’m the champion here, and I’ll prove that to him,” he said.
“I’m not looking for a finish. I’m not looking for a knockout or submission. I’m looking to showcase the well-improved aspects of the game. And at the end of the day, my hand will be raised.”
Tickets for ONE Fight Night 5 and ONE 164: Pacio vs. Brooks at the Mall of Asia Arena on December 3 are available at https://linktr.ee/ONEPH.