‘Focused On Winning The Belt’ – Shamil Erdogan Believes Path To Heavyweight Crown Runs Through Paul Elliott
Undefeated Turkish destroyer Shamil Erdogan is bracing for the toughest test of his career at ONE Fight Night 48 on Prime Video. As far as he’s concerned, though, this is right up his alley.
He collides with Paul “King of the North” Elliott in a high-stakes heavyweight MMA main event clash, which airs live in U.S. primetime from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium this Friday, October 2.
The 36-year-old has improved to a perfect 13-0 across five appearances inside ONE Championship, which includes two finishes of former two-division ONE MMA World Champion “The Burmese Python” Aung La N Sang.
That stretch also charted a rapid climb through the weight classes, from middleweight all the way up to heavyweight, where Erdogan made an instant statement, notching a first-round ground-and-pound finish of Ryugo “Rising Rock Star” Takeuchi at ONE 173 in Tokyo, Japan.
A perfect record like that would understandably carry plenty of weight for most fighters. He, however, insists the number itself holds little significance in how he approaches each outing.
Erdogan said:
“Honestly, for me that zero in the losses column doesn’t mean anything at all. I don’t even think about it. I just go out there inside the [ring] and do my job.”
That same mentality extends directly to how Erdogan views every opponent placed in front of him. Even though he has solved every problem with relative ease so far, the Kremost Fight Club and Tiger Muay Thai giant refuses to treat anyone sharing the global stage with him as anything less than a genuine threat.
Elliott’s recent form makes that respect easy to justify. The Englishman enters off a third-round finish of Takeuchi and a six-second head kick knockout of Regan Upshaw.
The Turkish star said:
“Paul Elliott is a very tough [and] strong fighter. I am not underestimating him at all. He’s very good with his legs. He’s very good on the feet.
“We all saw his last fight – his kicks fly really well. That was such a beautiful knockout. I think it’s [one of] the fastest knockouts in ONE Championship. And I think that is his biggest danger; the danger coming from his legs.”
Given Elliott’s knack for producing the spectacular, he is well aware of exactly what that combination could mean once the men enter the ring.
Whatever unfolds, a slow, cautious affair seems like the least likely outcome for either man.
Erdogan said:
“I think I’m going to have a very interesting fight with him, and I think our fans are going to like it.”
Erdogan Chases A Finish And Heavyweight Gold
Interesting as he expects this fight to be, Shamil Erdogan has no intention of leaving anything to chance or dragging things out longer than necessary.
Studying tape has never been just a formality for the Turk, and burning the midnight oil over Elliott’s past performances has left him with a clear read on exactly where this fight will be won.
The heavyweight tank said:
“As far as I know, his wrestling isn’t that strong. And as we all know, I am very good at that, and I’ll try to neutralize his strengths to beat him. I’ll try to show everyone the beauty of this sport.
“I’m predicting that this fight will end in the second round. In the first round, I’ll drag him into deep water, and in the second round I’ll try to finish him.”
A statement performance is only part of the equation for Erdogan.
With the ONE Heavyweight MMA World Title currently sitting vacant, the 36-year-old finally sees a clear path to the one accomplishment that has eluded him throughout an otherwise spotless career.
He concluded:
“Becoming a World Champion in ONE Championship [will be] a huge accomplishment, because I think this organization is the best in the world.
“I’m focused on winning the belt, and I can’t wait for the moment when [ONE Chairman and CEO] Chatri [Sityodtong] puts the belt around my waist.”
