5 Defining Moments: Jarred Brooks

“The Monkey God” is a name synonymous with a war-worn veteran shaped by the crucible of combat. Jared Brooks, the reigning ONE Championship strawweight titleholder, was tempered in the rugged, uncompromising environment of the wrestling gym. Brooks valued the significance of sweat equity at a very young age, and those lessons translated to the competitive wrestling mats as he became one of the nation’s top scholastic wrestlers during high school, securing a perfect record and a 2012 Indiana state championship in his senior year.

He then sought an avenue to challenge his remarkable athletic talent. The American harnessed the hard-nosed approach to mixed martial arts training and sealed a one-way trip to testing himself against the best in the sport. Now, as he stands undaunted on the precipice of a rematch against former champion Joshua Pacio at ONE 166 on Friday in Qatar, we take a look at some of the defining moments of his career:

1. Charting His Path

Brooks rattled off 12 victories in amateur contests before turning professional in August 2014. He competed in several United States-based promotions before deciding to try out his luck in international waters in Japan and Russia. During that time, Brooks collected 12 straight victories and won the House of Fame flyweight championship in the process. Before joining the Ultimate Fighting Championship, he collected signature victories over the likes of four-time Shooto title challenger Junji Ito and Abdiel Velazquez.

2. A Short-Lived Stint

Brooks made his UFC debut in July 2017 against Eric Shelton after Ian McCall, his original opponent, withdrew out of the fight due to gastrointestinal illness. “The Monkey God” secured a split decision over Shelton at UFC 214 and made a quick turnaround against future two-time UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo in October 2017. Brooks, according to many, shined in his sophomore appearance, slamming the Brazilian to the canvas multiple times. One judge scored the bout 30-27 in favor of Brooks, while the other two had Figueiredo winning by scores of 29-28. He went on to lose the next fight via a slam knockout courtesy of Jose Torres and rebounded in his next clash against Roberto Sanchez via split decision. It was reported on Nov. 7, 2018, that Brooks was released from the organization.

3. Battleground Japan

Brooks settled his score with Haruo Ochi in their preliminary clash at Bellator 237 in December 2019. Their initial encounter under the Rizin Fighting Federation banner was marred by an accidental clash of heads, and the rematch was staged on the grounds of an indisputable outcome. Brooks displayed a diverse set of spinning attacks, disguising takedown attempts between them sneakily over the course of three rounds. He also capitalized on an opportunity to take his opponent’s back, unleash punches and threaten with rear-naked choke attempts. In the end, the judges scored the bout unanimously in his favor, and he closed the doors on this chapter of his career.

4. New Home, Rekindled Spirit

Brooks made his ONE Championship debut against highly touted Filipino talent Lito Adiwang at ONE Championship “Next Gen 3”. Brooks displayed sheer brilliance and dominance in his strawweight clash, ultimately securing a Round 2 submission. Having controlled the majority of the first round from the top position, Brooks executed a pivotal takedown in the second, clinching a suffocating arm-triangle choke to force his opponent to submit. The message for the rest of the division was loud and clear: “The Monkey King” had arrived to triumph and conquer.

5. Golden Eye

The main event of ONE 164 featured a clash between Brooks and Pacio for the ONE strawweight world championship. The bout was a closely contested affair that showcased Brooks’ aggressive approach despite Pacio’s resilient defense. Throughout the fight, Pacio displayed improved ground defense, challenging Brooks throughout. Meanwhile, the American attempted to dominate the standup game in the third and fourth rounds. Despite Pacio’s efforts, Brooks clinched the win via unanimous decision, fulfilling his dream coronation on the grand stage of ONE Championship. It marked the end of Pacio’s three-year reign atop the division.