American fighter Jarred Brooks has conducted an extensive technical study of Russian opponent Mansur Malachiev ahead of their flyweight MMA clash at ONE Fight Night 36 on 4 October in Bangkok, Thailand.
The former ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion has endured months of persistent communication from his opponent's camp, creating additional motivation for their upcoming encounter.
"The past year and a half, this guy's been sending me direct messages. He doesn't really understand English that much, but he's just trying to get into my head. His whole team has been sending me messages and all that stuff," Brooks explained.
The 32-year-old Mash Fight Team representative has used the extended buildup to analyze every aspect of the 33-year-old Russian's fighting approach, particularly his Dagestani wrestling style.
"I did mock his style a lot, though. He walks like a zombie, coming forward with his hands up. He has the typical Dagestani style with dangerous spinning back kicks, and he has a dangerous hook," Brooks observed.
Malachiev brings legitimate credentials to this matchup, holding three ONE victories including a finish of Jeremy Miado in his promotional debut in June 2023. His pressure-heavy approach has proven effective throughout his career.
However, Brooks believes his wrestling background and preparation have revealed exploitable weaknesses in his opponent's defensive game plan.
"I think that when pressure is being displayed upon him, he waits his turn, and I think that's where I can take advantage of a lot of the fight. He leaves his neck out because he is very 'guillotinable,'" the #2-ranked strawweight contender strategized.
The tactical chess match between these accomplished grapplers promises to showcase high-level wrestling exchanges with potential submission finishes, as both fighters bring extensive grappling credentials to their Bangkok encounter.
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