Jarred Brooks vs Joshua Pacio I – The Fight That Sparked ONE Championship’s Biggest Rivalry

The first clash between Jarred Brooks and Joshua Pacio wasn’t just another title fight — it was the spark that ignited one of ONE Championship’s fiercest rivalries. At ONE 164, Brooks, the brash American wrestler known as “The Monkey God,” stormed into Manila and challenged the hometown hero Pacio for the ONE Strawweight MMA World Title. The result? A tense, tactical showdown that set the tone for everything that followed.

Brooks relied on his relentless wrestling and control, pressing Pacio against the cage and grinding out rounds. Pacio, the proud Filipino champion, fought back with crisp counters and tried to create openings with his striking and scrambles. By the end, the judges sided with Brooks, crowning him the new strawweight king and igniting an international storyline that MMA fans couldn’t ignore. It was a pivotal moment that led to two more rematches — the second fight shifted momentum back to Pacio, and the rubber match, Pacio vs. Brooks 3, became a true legacy fight for both men.

Now, with ONE Fight Night 34 looming, this rivalry is once again in the spotlight. The trilogy may be over, but the impact of that first battle still lingers. Brooks’ aggressive pace and Pacio’s resilience created one of the most memorable title exchanges in ONE history — and for many fans, it was the fight that made them believers in just how intense the strawweight division can be.

Check the bout that started it all: Jarred Brooks vs. Joshua Pacio I — the night the belt changed hands and the rivalry was born.