Dagestani Shamil Gasanov Gives the Final Verdict on One Fight 18 Rival Oh Ho Taek

Shamil ‘The Cobra’ Gasanov says fans can expect an unforgettable war in his main event clash. At ONE Fight Night 18, he faces Oh Ho Taek this Friday. When the Russian sensation squares off with the ultra-dangerous South Korean live in U.S. primetime from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, he’ll be putting his #4 spot in the featherweight MMA rankings on the line.

Further, he’ll be doing it against one of the division’s most skilled athletes. Gasanov arrived at ONE with an unblemished professional record and loads of hype behind him. He immediately lived up to that hype with a submission victory over Kim Jae Woong. Also, this secured his spot in the featherweight MMA top five.

Shamil Gasanov claims that multiple fighters ducked him!

‘The Cobra’ suffered his first career defeat in his most recent appearance as he was submitted by former World Title challenger Garry Tonon. Despite that loss, Gasanov remains one of the most feared fighters in the division, which is exactly why he’s quick to give his respect to Oh for taking the fight.

“My opponent is a true warrior! A lot of fighters rejected my challenge. Only this guy stepped up to the plate, and I’m incredibly grateful for his willingness to face me.” Like Gasanov, ‘Spider’ is also coming off a defeat – a stunning knockout against surging prodigy Akbar Abdullaev.

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The man from Dagestan says that loss doesn’t take much shine off of Oh’s formidable skill set and impressive track record against elite opposition. “He’s a well-rounded fighter with a combination of striking, grappling, and submission skills. He didn’t have the chance to showcase his full arsenal against Akbar in their 40-second bout. However, his previous fights have revealed his ability to rise to the challenge.”

Shamil Gasanov expecting a grappling fest!

While both men are plenty capable of fighting in all phases of mixed martial arts, Gasanov is predicting a high-paced ground battle on January 12. With 14 highlight-reel submission wins between them, he says fans should strap in for an electrifying display of world-class grappling.

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“I anticipate a grappling-heavy encounter, as I love to grapple, and he excels at submitting his opponents. I’m confident that our clash will be the most thrilling fight of the evening.” Fans are excited to see the two promising fighters go head-to-head. Who do you think takes the win? Let us know in the comments below.