‘I Always Knew That I Was Different’ – Unbeaten Phenom Sanzhar Zakirov Feels Destined For MMA Greatness
Undefeated rising star Sanzhar “Tornado” Zakirov is now preparing for his much-anticipated U.S. primetime debut, as he’s set to battle Japanese sensation Hiroba Minowa on September 6 at ONE 168: Denver.
That strawweight MMA contest will go down at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, and it will be the Uzbek athlete’s opportunity to prove he belongs with the best of the best in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
“Tornado” enjoyed a dominant 3-0 run at ONE Friday Fights, establishing himself as an exciting name to watch. Now, with the biggest opportunity of his career quickly approaching, fans are dying to know more about the talented knockout artist.
This is the 21-year-old’s journey to the bright lights of ONE Championship.
‘I Hated To Lose’
As far back as he can remember, Zakirov loved any activity that kept his body moving.
He admits to being a poor student, disinterested in sitting in a classroom to learn things that he didn’t believe would serve him.
He told onefc.com:
“I was skeptical about school. I knew that it was not going to affect my success in life, so I often skipped classes. I was mostly found in the gym.
“And by the way, I had a ‘D’ in physical education, but it doesn’t mean that I did not like to study at all. I used to read quite a lot of books at home.”
Ultra-competitive by nature, Zakirov grew up fighting – an experience that undoubtedly led him down the path of becoming the world-class mixed martial artist he is today:
“The only thing I remember from my childhood is that I hated to lose, even in small things. I always wanted to be number one in everything.
“I remember that the older kids always made me fight with adults on the street, and it was impossible to refuse. So I had to fight.”
Rising Through The Ranks
Between fistfights in the streets, the young “Tornado” formally trained in the striking art of taekwondo, starting at just 5 years old.
Despite his success at numerous tournaments around Uzbekistan, he has mixed feelings about his time in the sport. The extreme discipline from his coach left a sour taste in his mouth, but it also instilled the mental fortitude he relies upon today as a fighter.
Zakirov explained:
“My first martial art was taekwondo. I gave my first five years in sport to this martial art. I hated this sport because the coach used to beat us very brutally with a stick and psychologically crushed us.
“Maybe because of that, I became mentally strong.”
Zakirov showed immediate promise in taekwondo. Before long, he added training in judo and mixed martial arts to his regimen and spent his teenage years racking up amateur wins and titles on the regional scene.
At 18 years old in 2021, he made his professional debut and hasn’t looked back, compiling a pristine 12-0 record with a near-perfect finishing rate.
For his part, he believes that success in MMA is only natural:
“I always knew that I was different and I could achieve a lot because I was almost always one step ahead of the others in any competition.”
Struggles And Sacrifices
Unlike many North American or Western European fighters who have full access to elite training camps and world-class instruction, Zakirov struggled to find the training he needed in Uzbekistan, where the MMA scene is still in its infancy.
In order to pursue his dreams, he often traveled to Dagestan and other parts of Russia. Those trips cost money, but he was happy to make the necessary sacrifices to afford quality training:
“MMA in Uzbekistan is not sponsored, as well as 80 percent of other martial arts. Training camps, competitions, and preparation require finances, so I had to work all the time.
“Also, I had an operation and many injuries due to martial arts. You can say I put my health and finances on the line, but I have no regrets.”
Looking back, Zakirov says making ends meet while simultaneously rising through the ranks as an elite fighter was the most challenging time of his career:
“It was terribly difficult. I worked hard – as a security guard, delivery man, waiter, and ice cream seller to earn money for training camps.
“In the end, what I earned, I spent on training trips to Dagestan and Moscow.”
Ready To Prove He Belongs
Now just a few short weeks away from his North American primetime debut at ONE’s blockbuster return to the United States, Zakirov doesn’t worry about picking up odd jobs to pay the bills.
He made his ONE debut last August at ONE Friday Fights 28, where he finished Filipino standout Dave Bangguigui. Since then, he has scored four more victories outside of ONE, as well as two more impressive wins at ONE Friday Fights to secure a lucrative six-figure contract and a spot on ONE’s global roster.
At ONE 168: Denver, Zakirov will face a massive step up in competition when he takes on #4-ranked strawweight MMA contender Minowa – one of the division’s toughest outs.
“Tornado” spoke about his meteoric rise and his unwavering confidence:
“The first opportunity was at ONE Friday Fights. My opponent had a record of 9-1, but I realized that this was the chance I should not miss, the chance I was waiting for to prove myself.
“As for moving to ONE and fighting a top-five guy, I don’t think there’s any need for comments. I’ll be there to take him down and get what’s mine!”
