Mixed martial arts has a number of champions across the sport. Those within the Ultimate Fighting Championship are usually recognized as the cream of the crop. However, that does not mean that other men and women do not deserve recognition. Will Brooks is one of those fighters, and right now, he may be one of the most underrated champions in MMA.
With a 15-1 professional record, it’s interesting that Brooks still flies under the radar with many mixed martial arts fans. His breakthrough moment came at Bellator 120 when he became the interim lightweight champion. This win didn’t come without controversy, as many felt that Michael Chandler defeated Brooks in the bout—so much so that judge Rob Hinds defended his decision to award the fifth round to Brooks in an interview with MMA Mania’s Michael Stets.
“Looking at the full five minutes, what Chandler did the last minute and 15, or whatever it is, wasn’t more effective than the effectiveness that Will Brooks [displayed] through that entire round up until then,” Hinds said in the interview. “That’s why I saw Round 5 going Will Brooks’ way.”
Brooks didn’t need the judges the second time around, as he would finish Chandler at Bellator 131. Still, that performance has not been enough to make Brooks a major star in the sport. He expects that to change with more dominant defenses of the lightweight title.
“[I plan on] making sure people understand this is not something that just happened,” Brooks was quoted as saying in a Sherdog.com report by Tristen Critchfield. “This is a long story; I’m going to be around for a very long time, and I’m always going to get better.”
Brooks has continued to look better with every outing since joining Bellator in 2013. Now, as the champion, he will defend his title against former WEC competitor Dave Jansen at Bellator 136. Jansen has not been impressed with Brooks and his rise to fame in MMA.
“It’s very evident to me that he’s dishonest with himself, dishonest with others. He comes off as a bit of a phony,” Jansen said in a separate piece by Critchfield. “I feel Will Brooks’ fear, and that’s genuine, and that’s coming across in the interviews I have seen.”
Whether or not Brooks is afraid of the challenger will remain to be seen on Friday night.
This is a promising time for Brooks to put on a spectacular performance during his defense against Jansen. Over in the UFC, Anthony Pettis has been unseated as the lightweight champion by Rafael dos Anjos. Pettis was expected to become a superstar worthy of the nickname “Showtime,” but losing the belt puts a major snag in those plans.
Even though Brooks fights for Bellator, with proper placement, he could become the face of the lightweight division. Viacom, Bellator’s parent company, has the ability and funds to promote its stars, but the company has yet to find a champion with the desire to promote himself or herself just as much. Brooks seems like the man to fit that mold.
“This is just the beginning for me,” Brooks told Critchfield. “People are going to see not just what I do in mixed martial arts, but what I do outside of mixed martial arts.”
“The Time Is Now” has become a mantra used by the UFC to describe their efforts to grow in 2015. However, Brooks can use the same saying as he enters his title fight at Bellator 136 to pave his way toward becoming a star in the sport.
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