‘So Much Joy’ – Joshua Pacio Thrilled To Silence Doubters With Stunning World Title Win Over Jarred Brooks

The main event of ONE 171: Qatar saw Filipino superstar Joshua “The Passion” Pacio score an epic comeback victory over longtime rival Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks to once again become the undisputed ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion.

That hotly anticipated World Title unification fight took place on February 20 at Lusail Sports Arena and marked the third meeting between the planet’s top strawweight mixed martial artists.

In their first encounter, Brooks turned in a brilliant performance to earn a unanimous decision victory and take the divisional crown. While Pacio won the World Title rematch in March 2024, it came via disqualification after the American landed an illegal slam in the opening minute.

Injuries then sidelined “The Passion” for the rest of that year while Brooks captured the ONE Interim Strawweight MMA World Title with a dominant submission win over Gustavo Balart. Going into their rubber match, the Filipino knew he was widely considered the underdog.

With that in mind, Pacio told the media that he was ecstatic to silence his critics at ONE 171:

“[The win was] just a release for me because there were a lot of people talking behind me, doubting me. ‘You can’t do it. You can’t do it.’

“You know, at the end of the day, I was just very focused on winning and training. I’ve been through a lot because of the injuries, but, you know, it’s just a relief. There’s so much joy and happiness.”

Pacio’s second-round TKO of Brooks was arguably the most impressive result of his 27-fight professional career. After spending the majority of the first round defending an onslaught of submission attacks, he turned the tide in the second by taking the top position and unloading a storm of furious ground strikes.

That unforgettable comeback brought the crowd in Qatar, which was loaded with proud Filipino fans, to a fever pitch.

Pacio said that it felt like he was fighting on home turf – and with those vocal supporters behind him, he firmly believed that he would emerge victorious:

“The energy was like in Manila, honestly. Manila. But you know, I was very focused on the fight. I was ready to go a full five rounds. I was not looking for a finish. I was looking to dominate.

“Honestly, the first connection, the first hook that I threw, it landed on his nose, and I saw his eyes move. He was afraid. So with that connection, I knew that he was afraid and he was gonna take the fight to the ground, and that’s what he did. But in the second round, I knew I was gonna control him.”

Indeed, “The Passion” looked like a man possessed in the second round, dominating Brooks unlike any fighter has ever done before.

Still, after sharing the Circle for nearly 40 combined minutes of tense battles, Pacio has nothing but admiration for his brash rival:

“I know Jared Brooks is always prepared. I know that he never underestimated me. I know the guy. He worked so hard. He trained so hard for himself and for his family. I know the caliber of athlete he is. He’s a very high-level wrestler, and I respect him so much.

“When you watch him, he’s that guy. He’s that bad guy in the movie, but honestly, he’s a good guy.”

Pacio Credits Training Camp, Coaches For Surviving First Round

Joshua Pacio’s victory over Jarred Brooks at ONE 171: Qatar was one of the most stunning and dramatic comebacks in recent memory.

Known for his dangerous submission skills, “The Monkey God” seemed to be on the verge of finishing any number of chokes throughout the first round.

While Pacio admitted that some of those attempts were closer than others, he ultimately trusted in his training and preparation at Lions Nation MMA:

“The D’Arce was not actually close. Maybe the guillotine. And the last one was like 70 percent there. But you know, there are a lot of guys choking me out in the gym. I’ve been there a hundred times in that position, and I know the feeling. And yeah, it is what it is. I escaped it.”

Given his history with the submission-savvy Brooks, it’s no surprise that Pacio spent much of his camp preparing for the exact scenario he experienced in the first round.

It’s that training, he added, that allowed him to remain calm and collected in the heat of battle:

“I’m confident in my training, in my preparation. Every position we studied in training camp, every position that Jarred would do to me. You know, lots of hours, we drilled it. Situational, we drilled it.

“My jiu-jitsu coach, my wrestling coach, they would be there like two to three hours. We’ve been working on every position that Jarred would do. So I was very confident that wherever the fight would go, ground, stand-up, I was very confident.”