Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks sees a clear path to victory in his main event clash against Gustavo “El Gladiador” Balart on August 2 at ONE Fight Night 24 on Prime Video.

Slated to go down live in U.S. primetime at Bangkok’s historic Lumpinee Stadium, that much-anticipated battle will determine the ONE Interim Strawweight MMA World Champion.

Jarred Brooks exudes confidence against Gustavo Balart

The former undisputed strawweight MMA king, Brooks is known for his outspoken and confident personality – and none of that has changed in the lead-up to his fight against Balart.

To that end, “The Monkey God” was happy to describe how he sees himself beating the Cuban powerhouse.

Brooks admits that his foe is both durable and fearless, particularly in the fight’s early going:

“[Balart] is like a torpedo that first two rounds. You can hit him, and he’s just gonna keep on coming forward. He doesn’t care. He’s just gonna hit you with those leg kicks and try to swing for the fences until he can reach your chin. So he’s tough in that aspect.”

However, the American, with his ever-evolving striking game, thinks he can take advantage of Balart whenever the fight is standing.

According to Brooks, his kicking game will likely play a key role:

“But he’s very beatable. You could catch him with a kick to the body or kick to the head. I think the kicks are going to be a big factor in this fight.”

Will “El Gladiador” pose an issue for “The Monkey God” with his wrestling?

When it comes to the grappling department, both men are elite wrestlers. 

Brooks comes from a collegiate folk-style wrestling background, while “El Gladiador” is an Olympic-level Greco-Roman wrestler.

No matter the style of wrestling, Brooks believes that his seemingly endless cardio will help him dominate every aspect of the fight.

Loaded with confidence ahead of this battle for interim gold, “The Monkey God” added:

“And even in the wrestling exchanges, this is a five-round fight. I don’t think he’s going to have the cardio to really hang with me. His legs are super thick. The acid that builds up in his legs is gonna end up making him tired if he doesn’t literally sprint five miles a day.  

“Me, I got jackrabbit legs. I can go forever with these legs. So Gustavo’s in for a really bad time when it comes to August 2.”