Joshua Pacio returned better than ever at ONE 171: Qatar to become ONE Championship’s undisputed ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion. After a tough first round, Pacio rallied to stop Jarred Brooks in the second round by TKO. The sterling victory elevated “The Passion” to a new level and proved his might by overcoming his biggest rival.
Joshua Pacio Takes Victory Lap After ONE 171 Main Event
“[The win was] just a release for me because there were a lot of people talking behind me, doubting me. ‘You can’t do it. You can’t do it.’ You know, at the end of the day, I was just very focused on winning and training. I’ve been through a lot because of the injuries, but, you know, it’s just a relief. There’s so much joy and happiness,” Pacio told ONE after the match.
The Filipino fans traveled well to Qatar. When the main event began, the decibel level jumped and roars echoed off the Lusail Sports Arena walls. Still, with all the emotions circling the building, Pacio remained focused on the task at hand.
“The energy was like in Manila, honestly. Manila. But you know, I was very focused on the fight,” Joshua Pacio recalls. “I was ready to go a full five rounds. I was not looking for a finish. I was looking to dominate. Honestly, the first connection, the first hook that I threw, it landed on his nose, and I saw his eyes move. He was afraid. So with that connection, I knew that he was afraid and he was gonna take the fight to the ground, and that’s what he did. But in the second round, I knew I was gonna control him.”
Joshua Pacio Compliments Jarred Brooks in Aftermath of Trilogy Bout
The trilogy between Pacio and Brooks began with a lot of trash talk, but after their initial two battles, they developed a deep respect for one another. “The Passion” knows that those were just words to build the hype. Following the win in the third bout, Joshua Pacio made sure to give “The Monkey God” his flowers.
“I know Jared Brooks is always prepared. I know that he never underestimated me,” he said. “I know the guy. He worked so hard. He trained so hard for himself and for his family. I know the caliber of athlete he is. He’s a very high-level wrestler, and I respect him so much. When you watch him, he’s that guy. He’s that bad guy in the movie, but honestly, he’s a good guy.”
Real recognize real 💪 Manny Pacquiao's message to strawweight MMA king Joshua Pacio after his stunning victory at ONE 171 🤩🇵🇭 @MannyPacquiao pic.twitter.com/MbUOGtpwXi
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) February 24, 2025
Joshua Pacio Fights Off Submission Efforts From Jarred Brooks
Brooks was looking for a quick end in the first round, with several submission attempts. The Filipino survived and rebounded to take firm control of the action. Reflecting on the match, Joshua Pacio detailed just how close those chokes got.
“The D’arce was not actually close,” Joshua Pacio recalls. “Maybe the guillotine, and the last one was like 70 percent there. But you know, there are a lot of guys choking me out in the gym. I’ve been there a hundred times in that position, and I know the feeling. And yeah, it is what it is. I escaped it.”
After the first time they met, Pacio went back to work in the gym on his craft. He knew he needed to improve, especially with his grappling. At ONE 171, he got to show off the fruits of his labor in the biggest spot of his career.
“I’m confident in my training, in my preparation. Every position we studied in training camp, every position that Jarred would do to me. You know, lots of hours, we drilled it. Situational, we drilled it. My jiu-jitsu coach, my wrestling coach, they would be there like two to three hours. We’ve been working on every position that Jarred would do. So I was very confident that wherever the fight would go, ground, stand-up, I was very confident.”
ONE 171: Qatar emanated from the Lusail Sports Arena on Thursday, February 20. You can relive the action on demand. ONE 171 is available via ONE’s official YouTube channel.