Third-ranked strawweight contender Gustavo Balart may be living and training many miles away from his family, but he continues to be a constant presence in their lives.

“El Gladiador” is set to compete in the biggest match of his professional mixed martial arts career when he squares off with former divisional king Jarred Brooks for the ONE Interim Strawweight MMA World Title in the main event of ONE Fight Night 24 this Friday, August 2, inside the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Gustavo Balart’s dedication to family despite physical distance

The Cuban sensation left his home country in 2016 to pursue a career in the all-encompassing sport in the United States. As a result, he had to leave behind his pregnant wife and two young daughters.

He’s been away ever since. But in an interview with ONE, Balart explained how he remains active as a father and discussed how he intends to be present in their lives when they reunite. “I talk to my daughters every single day. I like to say good night to them and ask about their days at school. I am not there physically, but I make sure they know I am there for them. I like to check on their behavior, how school is going, and how they feel,” he shared.

He further added, “When they are here with me, I will make sure they get a great education. I will try to get all that time I was not there with them back. I will show them how much I love them and teach them what I learned from my parents.”

Balart and Brooks set for high-stakes ONE Championship showdown

The 37-year-old has certainly done his part in trying to make his dream come true. He’s currently riding a four-fight winning streak in ONE Championship that includes wins over former strawweight kings Yosuke Saruta and Alex Silva.

In his latest victory at ONE 165 this past January, he outlasted #4-ranked contender Hiroba Minowa to put him in prime position to challenge for ONE gold. As noble as his motivations are this Friday, Balart will be facing a similarly driven opponent in Brooks. “The Monkey God” welcomed his baby daughter last November, and he has since claimed that he is bent on winning every fight to provide for her.

Only one father will get the win for their family this weekend, though, so expect them to give everything to earn the gold and a chance to face ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Joshua Pacio in a World Title unification battle at some point in the future.