Joshua Pacio on Jarred Brooks-Gustavo Balart’s battle for interim gold: “The division needs to move forward”

Photo Credit: ONE Championship
Photo Credit: ONE Championship

Current ONE strawweight MMA world champion Joshua Pacio is itching to get back inside the Circle.

Unfortunately, there's no official timeline for his return after he was brutally spiked on the top of his head in the opening minute of his world title rematch with Jarred Brooks at ONE 166 in Qatar. As a result of the unintentional yet illegal maneuver, Pacio was awarded the victory and once again crowned ONE's strawweight MMA king.

Pacio is more than willing to run it back with 'The Monkey God' once he's healed up, but when and where that happens remains to be seen.

"You know how much I want to be back in there competing, but my physical condition prevents me from doing so,” Pacio said in an interview with spin.ph.

With Pacio on the shelf, ONE Championship will introduce an interim strawweight MMA strap on August 2 when the promotion heads back to Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok.

“It is what it is," Pacio said when asked about the addition of an interim belt. "The division needs to move forward and determine the next contender, or in this case, the next interim champion."

Joshua Pacio will watch on as Jarred Brooks and Gustavo Balart battle for interim gold on August 2

On Friday, August 2, Jarred Brooks will once again have the opportunity to wrap a ONE world title around his waist when he meets streaking Cuban standout Gustavo Balart to crown an interim ONE strawweight MMA world champion.

While Brooks' disqualification against Pacio brought an end to his four-fight unbeaten streak, Balart goes into his first title opportunity sitting on four straight wins, the latest coming against fourth-ranked contender Hiroba Minowa at ONE 165 in Tokyo.

Whoever comes out on top will not only establish themself as the interim champion, but they'll set the stage for an epic title unification clash once 'The Passion' is ready to return.

ONE Championship fans in the United States and Canada can watch ONE Fight Night 24 live and for free via Amazon Prime Video in U.S. primetime on Friday, August 2.

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Edited by C. Naik
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