Garry Tonon responds to Shamil Gasanov’s callout, wants to "break off his leg"

Featherweight competitor Garry Tonon is not stressed about the mass Russian arrival in ONE Championship. In fact, the US-born grappling great is embracing it and looking forward to the challenge.

Russian fighters are making a statement in other divisions, including Ilya Freymanov and Saygid Izagakhmaev in the lightweight division. This past weekend, Shamil Gasanov became the latest fighter from the country to introduce himself in a big way.

At ONE on Prime Video 3, Gasanov scored an impressive submission just 2:09 into round one against Kim Jae Woong. The win earned him a $50,000 performance bonus. 'The Cobra' then singled out Tang Kai and Garry Tonon as potential opponents for his next outing.

'The Lion Killer' heard the callout and responded on Twitter with an element of nationalism, writing:

"@shamilcobra says I don't last 5 minutes with him. What do you think? Do I succumb to the mixed martial arts Russian🇷🇺 invasion? Or do I break off his leg, use it to fly our flag, and make Ronald Reagan and the American people proud 🇺🇸💪? @onechampionship."

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Shamil Gasanov vs. Garry Tonon in a featherweight showdown?

Shamil Gasanov is undefeated in professional MMA. 'The Cobra' impressed many new international fans in his promotional debut at ONE on Prime Video 3 with a quick submission win.

The Russian-born athlete is a two-time European grappling champion and a world grappling champion. With a 79% win rate via submission, 'The Cobra' is a fitting name.

'The Lion Killer' Garry Tonon, meanwhile, is already considered a grappling great. The American is 6-1 in MMA and is 72-26-2 in grappling competitions. He has won multiple BJJ tournaments at the national and international levels.

After participating in the 2022 ADCC World Championship, Tonon will now turn his focus back to MMA as he looks to add more limbs to his mantle.

The American grappler sees himself at the forefront of defending American pride. Don't be surprised if 'The Lion Killer' looks to challenge himself against the dangerous Russian standout soon.