ONE Championship: Chatri eyes Jarred Brooks vs Joshua Pacio title rematch for Tokyo
- Filipino former champ cements himself as top strawweight contender with win over Mansur Malachiev in Bangkok
- Brooks has long welcomed a rematch with ‘The Passion’, and tells the Post that he has been ready to fight ‘for six months’
Jarred Brooks and Joshua Pacio’s ONE Championship rematch could be headed to Tokyo.
The two strawweight mixed martial artists first met on Pacio’s home soil, in Manila, the Philippines. Brooks beat Pacio by unanimous decision to claim ONE’s strawweight MMA belt, but the fight was competitive enough that the American promptly offered his rival a rematch, provided Pacio was willing to make the flight to the United States.
There seemed to be a reasonable chance of that happening given ONE’s aggressive push into the American market, but according to the promotion’s chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, Brooks vs Pacio II could instead be part of ONE’s long awaited return to Japan.
“Most likely this year, but possibly Tokyo,” Chatri told the Post when asked where and when the rematch could occur.
ONE has not revealed the date for its return to Tokyo, but sources told the Post it could occur in late January, 2024.
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If the Brooks-Pacio rematch occurs this year, it is possible it could be part of ONE’s debut in Qatar, which is slated for December.
One way or the other, the rematch now seems like a certainty.
Despite already being offered a rematch by Brooks (20-2), Pacio (21-4) cemented himself as the division’s top contender with a unanimous-decision win over Russia’s Mansur Malachiev at last Saturday’s ONE Fight Night 15 event at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
After his victory, the 27-year-old Filipino was quick to welcome a rematch with Brooks – wherever ONE wants the fight to occur.
“If they give it to me, yes,” the soft-spoken former champ told the Post when asked about fighting Brooks again.
Brooks, 30, does not seem particularly concerned with the location of the fight, but is certainly waiting for a date, having not competed under MMA rules since he defeated Pacio in Manila last December.
“Sixth months ago,” the champion told the Post when asked when he would be ready to fight. “ONE Championship just needs to give me a fight and let me do what I love.
“I want to fight every other month. I’ve got a kid coming. I want to have a good fan base, and you’ve got to fight every other month to have that fan base, especially in a weight class like strawweight, when you’re trying to promote it.”
The two strawweights, who have proven themselves to be a level above their competition, have starkly differing expectations for their anticipated rematch, which should come as no surprise.
Brooks has predicted a second-round finish in the sequel.
“I’ve been training this whole time,” he said. “I hope nobody thinks I’ve fallen off a bridge or anything like that.”
Pacio, meanwhile, is certain he will perform better the second time around.
“Your prediction is wrong, man,” he said, responding to Brooks’ forecast for the fight. “I promise in my next outing I’ll be more impressive.”
Brooks’ victory over Pacio pushed him to 4-0 in ONE, after wins over Lito Adiwang, Hiroba Minowa and Bokang Masunyane in his first three fights. Before joining ONE, he competed for Bellator and Rizin, with both bouts occurring in Tokyo. He previously fought for the UFC.
Pacio is the most decorated strawweight in ONE’s history, recording three title defences over the course of two championship reigns. Highlights of his long run with the promotion include victories over Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke, Yoshitaka Naito, Yosuke Saruta (twice), Alex Silva, and now Malachiev.
