MANILA, Philippines—Lito Adiwang is used to trash talk but it’s a rare occasion to actually see the strawweight contender get pissed off at his opponents, and such was the case with UFC veteran Jared Brooks.
While Brooks didn’t target Adiwang directly, the American was quick to dismiss his Team Lakay stablemate and ONE strawweight champion Joshua Pacio.
Brooks said he’d “rip apart” Pacio and prove that he’s the best strawweight in the world, and those words did not sit well with Adiwang.
“I think he’s just an unlucky guy who talks and acts like a monkey. I guess that’s why he calls himself ‘The Monkey God’ because he will try to bluff and get in his opponents’ head before the fight and that’s really all he could do,” said Adiwang.
Brooks will be making his debut in ONE Championship in ONE: NEXTGEN III in a tape-delayed event at Singapore Indoor Stadium that will air on November 26 and welcoming him into the promotion is Adiwang.
“I am ready to humble him and show him that the lions in this division eat monkeys like him for breakfast,” said Adiwang.
Brooks and Adiwang were originally set to fight each other in April this year but that match was canceled after the Baguio City native contracted COVID-19.
Since his recovery, Adiwang dominated Hexi Getu taking a unanimous decision back in September.
“I’ve improved from my last fight. I think that I’m a smarter, stronger, and tougher fighter now who’s ready to continue winning in the strawweight division,” said Adiwang.
“The cancellation of our original match, I think, is also a blessing in disguise as it gave me more time to study his style and check on his strengths and weaknesses. With those in mind, I think I can accomplish my goals when I fight him and that is to humble him inside the ONE Circle.”