“I was looking for it all the time” – Shamil Gasanov says submission was the only thing on his mind vs. Oh Ho Taek

Shamil Gasanov’s reputation as one of the most dangerous grappling forces in the featherweight division was on the line in the main event of ONE Fight Night 18 last Friday, January 12.

Although he fell short of his aim of drawing a tap from South Korean veteran Oh Ho Taek on the promotion’s first American primetime card of the year, ‘The Cobra’ revealed that it was his sole goal from round to round to ensure he left the ONE ring with a statement win.

Speaking at the post-fight press conference, the No.4-ranked featherweight contender praised Oh’s versatile skillset, particularly his defensive artillery on the canvas throughout their tie inside the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Shamil Gasanov said:

“Yeah, even when I was at the top. It was a difficult position for me to finish the fight. But, at the same time, I was looking for submissions. All the time, I was looking for it all the time.”

Watch the full interview here:

From the sound of the bell, the Peresvet Fight Team and Tiger Muay Thai affiliate stuck to his promise by deploring his world-renowned wrestling abilities and strong game from the top.

As the match progressed, Shamil Gasanov's confidence only grew. And that showed in a couple of near-ending rear-naked choke attempts.

With the unanimous decision win, ‘The Cobra’ moved up an impressive 14-1 in his career. More importantly, it helped him secure his spot as the fourth-ranked athlete in the division as he chases a rematch against No.1-ranked Garry Tonon.

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Shamil Gasanov’s options in ONE Championship

While a chance to avenge his defeat to ‘The Lion Killer’ is understandably at the top of his list, Gasanov has a couple of permutations available should the American athlete have his hands busy.

Tonon is slated to take on No.3-ranked Martin Nguyen at ONE 165 on January 28 in a match that could likely unearth the next challenger to the throne once Tang Kai and Thanh Le unify their ONE featherweight MMA world title at ONE 166 on March 1.

So, should Tonon be victorious and potentially gain himself another five-round war, names like Nguyen, No.2-ranked Ilya Freymanov, or No.5-ranked Akbar Abdullaev are some names that will be interesting options for Shamil Gasanov.

North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription can relive ONE Fight Night 18 via the free event replay.