‘He’s Dangerous In Every Area’ – Shamil Gasanov Braces For Difficult Matchup With Halil Amir At ONE Fight Night 26
Shamil “The Cobra” Gasanov hopes to make his case for a shot at the ONE Featherweight MMA World Title on December 6 in U.S. primetime at ONE Fight Night 26: Lee vs. Rasulov on Prime Video.
The Dagestani destroyer will square off with Turkish sensation Halil “No Mercy” Amir in a high-profile featherweight MMA showdown between two of the sport’s most dynamic and well-rounded athletes.
The contest will go down in front of a raucous Thai crowd at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand – the same venue where Gasanov has pieced together a two-fight winning streak to earn the #4 contender spot in the talent-laden featherweight MMA rankings.
Now in the final days of his training camp, the Russian spoke to onefc.com about what Amir brings to the table.
While he respects his foe’s all-around skill set, “The Cobra” is confident that his own Dagestani-bred wrestling will dictate the pace of the fight:
“[Amir is] a big guy, an excellent striker, and a southpaw. His wrestling is solid, too. He’s good in all aspects.
“I think my uniqueness lies in my wrestling. In my four fights so far, there hasn’t been anyone I couldn’t take down.”
Indeed, Gasanov’s takedown defense and overall wrestling game have been practically impeccable across his impressive run in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
For his part, Amir has followed a similar trajectory. A former #4-ranked lightweight MMA contender, the 30-year-old has suffered defeat just once in his professional career and boasts a 3-1 record in ONE – both marks mirroring those of Gasanov.
“The Cobra” admitted that he can’t find any obvious weaknesses in his adversary, making for a tough test ahead:
“Every opponent is dangerous in their own way. Halil is no exception. He brings his own set of challenges. What more can I say? He’s dangerous in every area – wrestling, striking, you name it. We’ll just have to figure out the right approach.”
Given his foe’s talents, it’s perhaps no surprise that Gasanov isn’t about to predict a quick or easy win. Moreover, he won’t say if he’s gunning for the knockout or submission finish.
Instead, he’s laser-focused on one goal: getting his hand raised in Bangkok:
“The ideal outcome would be for neither of us to get injured. And of course, I’m going for the win – any win, it doesn’t matter how!”
Gasanov Targets World Title Shot In 2025
Ever since his stunning ONE debut against former top-five-ranked featherweight MMA contender Kim Jae Woong in 2022, Shamil Gasanov has been dubbed the next big thing in the division.
Two years later, he believes that a dominant showing against Halil Amir on December 6 could seal the deal for a crack at gold.
With reigning ONE Featherweight MMA World Champion Tang Kai set to defend his belt against Akbar “Bakal” Abdullaev on January 10 at ONE Fight Night 27, Gasanov aims to cement himself as the next man up in 2025.
After all, he said, none of the other top contenders want to face him:
“Yes, my goal now is to beat Halil and then fight for the belt. The other guys don’t interest me anymore because everyone in the top five was offered a fight with me, and they all stayed quiet.”
