Defiant Oh Ho Taek Ready to Take the Fight Into Enemy Territory Against Shamil Gasanov – “I’d Like to See Who’s Better”

South Korean sensation Oh Ho ‘Spider’ Taek says fans can look forward to a high-paced ground battle in the main event of ONE Fight Night 18 on Prime Video. This Friday, in U.S. primetime from the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, the 30-year-old from Seoul will clash with Russian submission ace Shamil ‘The Cobra’ Gasanov in a pivotal featherweight MMA tilt that promises action for as long as it lasts.

In September 2022, Taek registered an impressive win against veteran Ryogo Takahashi. However, he next suffered a stunning loss to young phenom Akbar Abdullaev. This stalled his climb toward divisional gold.

Oh Ho Taek about his opponent

While many athletes might have targeted an easier opponent for a bounce-back fight, ‘Spider’ isn’t one of them. He says he’s happy to face the ultra-dangerous Gasanov. ‘The Cobra’ currently sits at the #4 spot in the talent-laden featherweight MMA rankings.

“While my opponent is strong, I’m more motivated to win against a stronger opponent than I would be against a weaker one.” Indeed, the 28-year-old Russian certainly qualifies as a “strong” opponent. Like Oh, he arrived at the world’s largest martial arts organization with a memorable debut. However, he too stumbled in his last fight against top-level opposition.

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Despite the loss, Gasanov’s reputation as one of the division’s most talented grapplers remains, having earned five of his last six wins by submission. ‘Spider’ is a skilled finisher in his own right, boasting five submissions across nine career victories.

Oh Ho Taek wants to win in the opponent’s territory!

And even though he considers himself a well-rounded mixed martial artist, the South Korean plans to face Gasanov where he’s the most dangerous when the two clash in the main event of ONE Fight Night 18.

Oh says he’s ready to test his grappling against the best. “Although I’m an all-rounder, in this match I want to see who’s better at grappling, which is Gasanov’s strength,” he said. “I’ll want to take it to the ground once my body warms up, and I’d like to see who’s better there. I’ll persistently grapple to see who’s better until the end,” he added.

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Do you think Oh Ho Taek can prove to be better than Shamil Gasanov? Let us know in the comments below.