Jarred Brooks targeted by Lito Adiwang: “I want to be the one”

With no definite timetable for lineal king Joshua Pacio’s return from an ACL injury, Lito Adiwang hopes to get a shot at the ONE Interim Strawweight MMA World Title recently captured by Jarred Brooks at ONE Fight Night 24 on Prime Video earlier this month.

With the weight class crowning a placeholder due to Pacio’s absence, “Thunder Kid” looks to capitalize on the situation.

“I respect Joshua immensely and wish him the best. Joshua can take all the time he needs to come back better than ever. But realistically speaking, the division has to remain active,” Adiwang told Tiebreaker Times.

“If the division has to move on, then I want to be the one to step up and challenge Brooks for the interim title.”

Adiwang’s call for a title shot isn’t just a spur-of-the-moment decision. The Filipino hard-hitter has been chasing an opportunity to get his hands on Brooks ever since their first encounter in November 2021.

In that bout, “The Monkey God” cruised to a submission victory, forcing Adiwang to tap with an arm-triangle choke in the second round.

Since then, the 31-year-old has been driven by a desire to even the score with the American bruiser.

“He’s a tough opponent, no doubt about it, but I’ve grown a lot since our last encounter. I’m pretty sure he’s going to face a much more different ‘Thunder Kid’ in the rematch,” Adiwang said.

Lito Adiwang feels he deserves to earn a title shot 

Lito Adiwang has been on a tear as of late, racking up three consecutive victories in impressive fashion.

Despite his success, he currently sits outside the division’s top five rankings.

However, Adiwang remains undeterred, confident that his recent performances have earned him consideration for a potential title shot.

“Look at what I’ve done in my last three fights, it can speak for itself,” he said. “I think I’ve earned the right to be considered for a title shot. If the opportunity arises, I’ll be ready.”