Rising mixed martial arts star Lito Adiwang is up for his first main event fight against American Jared Brooks in the third series of ONE: Gen at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Nov. 26.
Adiwang and Brooks were supposed to clash in April this year but the bout was called off after the former had contracted the Covid-19 infection.
Adiwang had a successful comeback inside the ONE circle when he outdueled Hexigetu of China in the strawweight bout in Singapore on Sept. 24 while Brooks has not fought since.
The 27-year-old Adiwang, who is being projected as a top contender for the strawweight belt currently held by teammate Joshua Pacio, will finally face Brooks in his ONE debut.
Brooks is one of the top strawweight fighters in the world having fought in the world’s top MMA promotion, the Ultimate Fighting Championship, then in Pancrase before signing up with ONE.
The American fighter has more fight experience with 16 wins, two losses, and one draw while Adiwang has 13 wins and three losses.
Earlier, Brooks has called out Pacio for the ONE strawweight world belt, but the only Filipino MMA champion said the American fighter must earn wins first in ONE before a championship bout between them is set.
Pacio even challenged Brooks to face Adiwang first.
But while Brooks, a known world-class grappler, has complimented everyone on the ONE strawweight division, he claimed to be one of the best in the division even if he has not yet fought in Asia’s biggest MMA industry. – Harley F. Palangchao
