Lito Adiwang plans to shut down former UFC fighter Jarred Brooks at ONE: NEXTGEN III

Bengaluru, November 17: Filipino strawweight sensation Lito Adiwang makes a quick return to the ONE Championship fold against debuting Jarred Brooks at the previously recorded ONE: NEXTGEN III next Friday (November 26).

The Team Lakay star earned a dominant victory over "Wolf of the Grasslands" Hexigetu at ONE: REVOLUTION on 24 September. He then took a short break and threw himself straight into another training camp.

"For me, the Hexigetu fight is a blessing because yeah, [Hexigetu and Brooks] have some kind of similarities. So, it was a good warm-up fight for me," the "Thunder Kid" said.

"We knew that [Hexigetu's] game plan was to try to take me down and control [me], maybe do ground and pound and win by points. But I did stop his game, so it's a blessing for me to have that fight - great warm-up fight."

Adiwang and "The Monkey God" Brooks were scheduled to fight in April. However, the Filipino athlete withdrew after contracting COVID-19.

Ever since the bout was called off, Brooks has been vocal about his strawweight foe, even dropping comments on Adiwang's post about his much-adored mullet.

Though Brooks has since apologized for the remarks, Adiwang warned the ONE newcomer that he should be worried about other things apart from his flamboyant hairdo.

"I saw his comments on my post that he wants to cut my mullet after beating me. So yeah, let's go, let's settle the score first," Adiwang said.

"Then maybe he can worry about [my mullet] after because he's got so many more problems other than my mullet."

The delay and his mullet aside, Adiwang just wants to prove that he is one of the division's best competitors. The #5-ranked strawweight boasts a 13-3 professional record, and he is confident that a couple more wins should push him further up the rankings.

Above all, Adiwang wants to showcase to the world that ONE Championship is home to the best superstars like himself. And a win against Brooks will be the best way to prove his theory right.

"I want to test my skills against the best, especially the guys coming from the UFC. I want this fight to be an eye-opener for everyone," he said.

"A lot of people think nowadays - maybe because of the marketing - that they're untouchable, that they are the best in the world. So, in this fight, I'm very, very excited to prove that ONE championship athletes are the best in the world."

Catch all the action from ONE: NEXTGEN III on the ONE Super App.

Source: Media Release