‘Number One In The World’ – Kiamran Nabati Details Deep Bond With Asadula Imangazaliev Ahead Of The Inner Circle 31
Kiamran Nabati has trained alongside plenty of elite fighters, but his profound bond with reigning ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Asadula “The Dagestan Ninja” Imangazaliev proves that greatness often finds its own.
The 31-year-old Russian powerhouse headlines The Inner Circle 31 against Nontachai Jitmuangnon in a pivotal bantamweight Muay Thai clash this Friday, September 18. The event streams exclusively for subscribers at live.onefc.com in Asia primetime from Bangkok’s historic Lumpinee Stadium.
That unique bond surprisingly began in the grappling-rich region of Dagestan, years before Imangazaliev became the most feared striker in his weight class, and long before either man stepped onto the global stage of ONE Championship.
Nabati was still navigating the early chapters of his own path, lacking a clear sense of where it would eventually lead. Neither could have predicted that a chance connection between a seasoned athlete and a wide-eyed kid would fundamentally shape both of their careers.
The Archangel Michel representative recalled:
“Years ago we were training together in a small city in Dagestan. He was so young back then, maybe 9 years old. Meanwhile, I had just completed my first professional fight in Moscow, and when I came back, I had to move to a different gym to get better.
“He then called me a few years after I moved and said he wanted to train with me. He wanted to learn from me. So, I invited him to our gym in Makhachkala.”
What started as an ambitious kid chasing a World Championship dream soon transformed into a deeply collaborative journey.
Both men tore through the competition during that stretch, each proudly carrying an unbeaten record. What began as a simple training partnership blossomed into an ironclad brotherhood forged through sweat, sacrifice, and countless hours spent pushing each other toward greatness.
In fact, the veteran striker had no idea just how much of an influence he had already become.
Nabati reflected:
“From 2019 to 2022, we stayed together. He was my sparring partner. He was a young guy, but we were training together a lot. Later on, he told people that I was his idol back then. But in those days, I had absolutely no idea.”
Eventually, both men found their way to the world’s largest martial arts organization. Nabati arrived first, wrapping up his ONE Friday Fights debut in September 2023 with a dominant win over four-time Muay Thai World Champion Pongsiri PK Saenchai.
The 31-year-old then extended his promotional run to 3-0, capped by a brilliant first-round knockout of Suablack Tor Pran49 — just a month before “The Dagestan Ninja” introduced his ferocious brand of Muay Thai to the global audience.
Since then, Nabati has gone 4-1 in the promotion, while Imangazaliev has remained perfect, rattling off nine straight wins with seven spectacular knockouts to push his career record to 13-0. He most recently defeated Aslamjon “El Pantera” Ortikov to claim the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title.
Watching the very kid he once mentored reach the absolute summit of his division carries a profound meaning Nabati cannot quite put into words.
The Dagestani fighter said:
“Now we are both in ONE Championship, and now he’s number one in the world. Looking back, I was so happy that this guy wanted to be stronger and wanted to be like me. He told me that I helped pave the way for him in ONE Championship.”
Nabati Pays It Forward, One Fighter At A Time
That noble idea of paving the way for someone else has not stopped with Asadula Imangazaliev. Kiamran Nabati has since embraced that same mentorship role for a new generation of young martial artists back home in Russia.
Passing down knowledge to a single student is one thing, but stepping into a lead coaching role for an entire gym presents an entirely different challenge — especially while actively competing at the highest level himself.
He explained:
“A few years ago, I went back to Yekaterinburg in Russia, a really cold place in the north, to coach and train young kids at Archangel Michel. I wanted to share my knowledge and experience with them, teach them how to be strong and confident.
“All this time, I was just focused on my own career, but I never realized how much the children looked up to me. That was something surprising. They wanted to train under me. They wanted to learn from me.”
That eye-opening experience has completely changed how Nabati views his own place within the sport. What began as a career built strictly around his own personal goals has evolved into a journey driven by a much grander purpose.
The realization did not arrive easily. But once it took hold, it completely reshaped how the bantamweight contender approaches the remaining years he has left in the ring.
Nabati added:
“I never thought about becoming a role model. I was just focusing on myself in the past. But now that I’m older and have experience in this sport, I understand that I have to give back to the children. It’s a privilege and an honor.
“Anytime I can help them, I’m filled with happiness and nothing else. I remember when I was a young guy, I also had people I looked up to. Now I’m in their shoes. Now I understand that I have to use my career to inspire kids.”
