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Joshua Pacio could not have had a better mindset heading into his Qatar showdown against Jarred Brooks.
The Filipino star was in a zen-like state when he took on Brooks for the ONE strawweight MMA world title at ONE 166, but that mindset was all for naught.
Despite the match getting arguably the best build-up of any fight on the card, the bout ended with a disqualification after Brooks inadvertently spiked Pacio’s head on the canvas less than a minute into the contest.
Joshua Pacio, in an interview with The MMA Superfan, recalled just how ready he was mentally and emotionally.
Unfortunately for Pacio, he wasn’t able to execute any of his arsenal after he got spiked unconscious in the first round. He said:
“Going into that fight, I had no emotions. I was super relaxed, my feeling was super light, and of course, I was 100 mentally prepared, my spirit was at one hundred percent. I was in there, I was in the perfect and right condition. I’m ready to win, but not in this way. I was ready to win, and I know, my team knows, God knows how ready I am.”
Pacio ultimately captured the ONE strawweight MMA world title and started his third reign atop the division, but he’s always been adamant that Brooks' disqualification wasn’t the way he wanted to return to the throne.
Watch Pacio's entire interview below:
Jarred Brooks has no regrets dropping gold to Joshua Pacio
Joshua Pacio and Jarred Brooks have had one of the most heated rivalries in ONE Championship.
While Brooks may go overboard in his pre-fight antics, he and Pacio share deep respect that no trash talk could ever tarnish.
Brooks was even emotional the moment he saw Pacio back at the athlete’s hotel after spending the night in the hospital.
In an interview with The MMA Superfan, Brooks said he has no issues dropping the ONE strawweight MMA world title to Pacio. 'The Monkey God' added:
“At the end of the day, if Josh wants that belt, if he thinks he deserves that belt, then he may have it. But, you know, a champion is somebody that lives in and out and fighting, and that’s me. Literally, fighting is in my DNA. I’ve never thought about that belt as a title kinda thing, but just as a reminder that I want to beat the best, and that is Joshua Pacio.”
Watch Brooks' entire interview below:
