Jarred Brooks believes he’ll burst through the final obstacle that stands in front of his shot at the ONE Strawweight World Title.
The surging #2-ranked contender will face #1-ranked Bokang Masunyane in a World Title eliminator at ONE 156: Eersel vs. Sadikovic this Friday, 22 April, with the winner set to challenge divisional king Joshua Pacio for the gold.
It’s been clear from his recent interviews that Brooks respects what “Little Giant” brings to the Circle.
At the same time, the brash American feels like he’s above the level of competition that the South African has faced before – and he plans on making that clear inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
The 28-year-old said:
“Bokang is super athletic. He has a lot of great qualities that he has shown. But unfortunately, he hasn’t really gone against anybody, and they put him in front of me. I think that I have faced way better opponents.
“Don’t get me wrong – Bokang knocked out Rene Catalan, and in [highlight-reel] fashion, but Rene is like 43 years old, and he’s on his way out.
“Bokang has good wrestling. He has good conditioning. But like I said, he hasn’t been tested. When a fist comes across the face, then we’ll see how he reacts.”
Masunyane has relied on his elite wrestling background since transitioning to MMA, racking up a flawless 8-0 record in the all-encompassing sport.
Opponents have failed to match him in that department, although Brooks will pose a different type of threat.
The Mash Fight Team man has also wrestled his entire life, so he’ll be well-equipped to deal with the intense pressure that “Little Giant” applies in that area.
And if things go to plan, he’ll take Masunyane into uncharted waters and improve his stellar 18-2 career record in the process.
“The Monkey God” said:
“I do see [Masunyane] breaking on the feet and wanting to shoot and go for takedowns. And it’s going to be a tough road for him. He’s going to have a really, really tough time taking me down. And if he does, I’m going to spring right back up to my feet. He’s not going to hold on to my back like he does to all these other people.” (One Championship)
(Photo credits to: Sportskeeda)