Gustavo Balart’s journey from Olympic athlete to ONE Championship title contender
- Balart was a decorated wrestler who represented Cuba with distinction but could not make it past the quarter-final stage in 2012
Gustavo Balart was competing at the London Olympics 12 years ago but on Saturday, he is challenging for an MMA title for the first time in his career when he takes on Jarred Brooks at ONE Fight Night 24.
Balart was a decorated wrestler who represented Cuba with distinction but could not make it past the quarter-final stage in 2012 Games, having claimed gold at the Pan-American Games the previous year.
Now, the Cuban is riding a four-fight winning streak into his strawweight title fight this weekend which is set for Lumpinee Stadium.
Balart is the shortest fighter in ONE Championship’s flyweight division, standing at 4 feet 11 inches and Brooks is the biggest name he has faced in his MMA career.
“Personally, I don’t care about names,” the 37-year-old said. “I want to be a champion, and I will go after whoever is the champion.
“It could be him, or it could be another fighter. Winning the interim championship would make me a champion.”