Pacio looks to settle score with Brooks

MANILA, Philippines -- Weeks after suffering a scary neck injury, ONE FC strawweight MMA champion Joshua Pacio is already eyeing to conclude “unfinished business” with rival Jarred Brooks.

“The Passion” regained the strawweight championship during ONE 166: Qatar earlier this month after Brooks spiked him on his head at the 56-second mark of the first round.

Now feeling better, despite some minor issues, the Lions Nation MMA fighter said he wants to end the trilogy with Brooks.

This, however, would have to wait since he was ordered to take a break from competition for two months.

“Next week I will be going back to training, light training lang. Tapos two months maghihintay tayo. Gusto ko yung trilogy ngayong year din. Sana nga dito sa Pilipinas,” Pacio told reporters on Saturday.

“Oo. Si Jarred talaga. For me, it’s unfinished business.”

Pacio admitted that the way he won the title was not what he aimed for, but he wants his third fight against Brooks to finally erase doubts.

The Filipino fighter earlier dropped the title to Brooks in 2022 via unanimous decision.

He then defeated Russia’s Mansur Malachiev in October last year, setting the stage for the second fight.

“As a mixed martial artist, hindi ko gusto yung pagkapanalo ko. But getting the belt, I know that I deserve it because I also worked hard for it, not just me, my team, yung mga taong nag-sacrifice ng oras para lang ma-training ako,” he said.

“I deserve it all the years of hard work. Siyempre hindi dito mag-stop. Papatunayan ko iyan sa trilogy,” he added.

In the third fight, the team will continue to enhance the game plan they set during the second fight as they will try to win convincingly.

“For me, iyong hindi natuloy na gameplan dito, yun yung dadagdagan namin. I don’t aim for the knockout. Kung merong opportunity, I will do it. Dapat every round, nakikita na mas advantaged tayo in any position.”