Jonathan Brookins is best known for winning the 12th season of “The Ultimate Fighter”. A cerebral, free thinking personality, Brookins possesses the talent and charisma needed to develop into an elite fighter. Although he began as a wrestler, Brookins made his way into MMA under the recommendation of veteran fighter Charles “Krazy Horse” Bennett, where he has continued evolving his overall grappling arsenal.

The most potent aspect of Brookins’ game is his grappling ability. A strong wrestler, Brookins began his career in high school where he would capture two Oregon State Wrestling Championships. From there he earned a scholarship to NAIA wrestling powerhouse Lindenwood University, although he was eventually kicked out of the program due to behavioural issues. Brookins then turned his attention to BJJ, which combined with his wrestling abilities has helped Brookins begin his career on a very promising note. As an MMA wrestler, he’s quickly made his name known for a fantastic lateral drop he utilizes from in close. Brookins has also proven adept at snatching a leg and forcing his opponent into the cage, where he’ll methodically work for his single and double leg. That dual threat of being able to go forward or drop back for takedowns has helped keep Brookins unpredictable, yet very effective early in his career. On the mat he’s proven to be a patient grappler with strong technical skills. He shows excellent control and cage awareness, as well as quick transitions and smooth guard passing from the top. Brookins keeps the pressure on and looks to wear his opponent down utilizing an aggressive top game strategy. He drops nice punches and elbows and is very good at taking his opposition’s back. Brookins’ BJJ and submission abilities have developed very nicely, and overall he has the potential to be a complete package as far as MMA grappling is concerned.

Brookins pumps out a quick jab and is armed with an excellent chin. He keeps his composure well and has shown excellent recovery time when he has been stunned on his feet. Although Brookins is a naturally gifted athlete, he does have quite a bit of work to do on his standup. For one, his defensive skills are quite unorthodox and he does tend to leave himself open to being hit. He keeps very stationary with his hands low, and tends to retreat backwards in a straight line. Furthermore, he leaves his chin quite exposed and displays little, to no head movement. Those predispositions have been apparent, as Brookins is quite susceptible to getting tagged when the fight’s standing. Brookins could make better use of his reach and will need to work on his footwork and counter striking. He is armed with good length, speed, and natural athleticism, so the tools are there for Brookins to develop into a strong striker.