One Championship News & FeaturesShamil Gasanov Bounces Back to Outpoint Ho Taek Oh at ONE Fight Night 18
ONE Championship’s Shamil Gasanov rebounded from his first career loss and put himself back on track to a 155-pound mixed martial arts title shot with a unanimous decision win over Ho Taek Oh in the ONE on Prime Video 18 main event Friday night at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok.
Gasanov (10-1) was stunned to be kneebared by Garry Tonon last July, but that wouldn’t deter the former world grappling champion. Gasanov attacked Ho’s legs early. Ho, who is also a skilled grappler, struggled to keep the Dagenstani wrestler off his back but was disciplined enough to defend against the submissions. In the few moments the fight stood, Oh was too tired to keep Gasanov from him. Oh pushed through the final bell, but Gasanov was the clear winner. Postfight, Gasanov shared that he went into the bout feeling sick from food posioning. He didn’t call out ONE 155-pound MMA champion Tang Kai; he was simply concerned with getting some much-needed rest.
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Suablck brought the fans out of their bodies after picking himself up off the canvas and charging at Korodi midway through the second round. Korodi, looking for the biggest win of his career, charged back but was beaten onto his heels by Suablack’s fury. The rising Thai star dropped Korodi twice and nearly ended his night in the same round before Korodi’s toughness took the fight into the third round. Korodi pre-fight boasted about his chin and lived up to the hype, taking Suablack’s best for another round before falling valiantly on the scorecards.
#ONEFightNight18 highlight video: Kwon Won Il demolishes Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg pic.twitter.com/p6otRzcbYv
— Sherdog (@sherdogdotcom) January 13, 2024
They may call Kwon Won Il "Pretty Boy," but there was nothing pretty about his two-round destruction of Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg. Il put the breaks on Zoltsegseg, piecing him up on the feet before ending his nice with a flurry of elbows on the ground.
After winning an extra $50,000 for his troubles, Il explicitly called out 145-pound titlist Fabricio Andrade
#ONEFightNight18 highlight video: Rungrawee Sitsongpeenong wrecks Shakir Al-Tekreeti pic.twitter.com/sf63gTCsOH
— Sherdog (@sherdogdotcom) January 13, 2024
Rungrawee Sitsongpeenong left the ring $50,000 richer after bulldozing Shakir Al-Tekreeti within two rounds. Sitsongpeenong opened up the fight with a vicious body attack and targeted Al-Tekreeti’s ribs with body kicks out of a southpaw stance.
Once Al-Tekreeti felt the power difference, he was forced to get on his bike. Sitsongpeenong effortlessly closed off the ring before dropping him in the corner for the first of four times. Al-Tekreeti made it to the second, but after getting dropped 15 seconds into the next round, it was clear Rungrawee sensed blood was in the water. Two more knockdowns later, Al-Tekreeti was put out of his misery with 1:15 remaining.
#ONEFightNight18HighlightVideo: Artem Belakh unloads on Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu pic.twitter.com/c8IM3wHPoB
— Sherdog (@sherdogdotcom) January 13, 2024
No. 4 ranked bantamweight Artem Belakh (10-2) looked like he was headed toward a second straight loss before violently turning the tables on Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu.
Belakh didn’t look like he had shaken off the cobwebs from his TKO loss to Kwon Won Il last June but put those claims to rest in a thunderous flash. With 10 seconds remaining in the second round, Belakh landed a crushing switch knee that threw Baatarkhuu’s helpless body into the ropes. Baartakhuu wouldn’t fall but would take several more crisp shots before Herb Dean eventually stopped the bout at 4:55 into the second stanza.
Liam Nolan hopes to become the second fighter from the Knowlesy Academy to claim a ONE Championship in 2024, but if he plans to follow the footsteps of stablemate Jonathan Haggerty, he’ll have to beat some tough opposition. Former Russian muay thai champion Ali Aliev gave Nolan a tough outing throughout their lightweight matchup, but Nolan proved late why he could be the man to upset Regian Eersel.
Nolan spent most of the first two rounds trying to figure out Aliev. Both men opted to stay on the outside and use their length, but Aliev's approach was less subtle. Aliev used his length to stay at kicking range but attacked in bursts. Nolan was tripped several times to the canvas before finding a home for his right hand late in the second.
The third round was Nolan’s best, claiming the Brit's second-straight win. As Aliev fazed, Nolan pushed forward and landed combinations at will. Despite the close outing, Nolan never seemed panicked or anxious about the scorecards. The fight was a fast-paced chess match, and Nolan took it by landing the cleaner shots.
#ONEFightNight18 highlight video: Ji Won Kang tees off on Mikhail Jamal Abdul-Latif pic.twitter.com/F6BdyMLzGP
— Sherdog (@sherdogdotcom) January 13, 2024
When you’re 265 pounds, it doesn’t take long to flip a fight on its head. That was the case in Ji Won Kang’s two-round brouhaha against American-born Mikhail Jamal Abdul-Latif. The 40-year-old Abdul-Latif leaned heavily on his wrestling to trip, twist and toss Kang throughout the opening round, but it wasn’t clear if his stamina would hold up.
As Abdul-Latif slowed toward the end of the second round, Ji Won Kang finally found an opportunity to take the fight back to the feet. While still grounded on his knees, Abdul-Latif could do nothing as Kang charged at him and landed a running knee that put him on his back. Wong took advantage and reigned down haymakers before the fight was eventually stopped with 51 seconds left in the second.
Light heavyweight kickboxers Beybulat Isaev and Yuri Farcas tried to take each other's heads off before the bell stopped ringing. The opening round was a war that saw both men take the other’s best shot before Isaev gave the Romanian a boxing lesson over the next two rounds.
Isaev shifted from brawler to out-fighter in Round 2, which paid off considerably. Farcas spent much of his energy loading up, hoping to land a big shot while Isaev picked him apart with jabs, straights and roundhouses to the body. Potentially going into the final round tied, Isaev left little doubt as he moved forward and hit his exhausted opponent with any shot he wanted. Farcas’ toughness carried him to the final bell, but Isaev’s skills carried the Russian to his 23rd career victory.
ONE on Prime 18 kicked off with a bantamweight MMA clash between the heavy-handed Mark Abelardo (22-11) and promotional newcomer Ibragim Dauev (9-1). Despite Abelardo’s experience, Dauev's constant pressure was too much to handle en route to his first loss since Nov. 2022.
Dauev was wise to shoot against Abelardo early. Coming in with 14 knockouts, there is a reason why the 32-year-old New Zealander is called “Tyson.” Dauev had little problems taking his back and sinking in a standing body lock, before closing out the round with a knee that cut Abelardo above his left eye.
Dauev’s pressure over the next two rounds forced Abelardo to grapple more than he would’ve liked. He succeeded in the clinch but spent most of the bout sprawling and defending his neck from potential chokes. With the win, Dauev tasted victory in his ONE debut while snapping Abelardo’s two-fight win streak in the process.
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