“He's really hungry” – Shamil Gasanov on why Garry Tonon will have the advantage against Martin Nguyen at ONE 165

Fourth-ranked ONE featherweight MMA contender Shamil Gasanov will certainly keep a close eye on the upcoming Garry Tonon versus Martin Nguyen tiff.

ONE 165: Superlek vs. Takeru will mark the promotion’s return to Tokyo, Japan on January 28, inside Ariake Arena.

Among the 11 confirmed bouts is a pivotal 155-pound showdown between ranked fighters Tonon and Nguyen, which may very well determine the next contender in the stacked MMA division.

Given Gasanov’s vested interest in this showdown, he gave his two cents on the matter, particularly on who will get his hand raised.

‘The Cobra’ said during his ONE Fight Night 18 post-event interview:

“Of course, it's difficult to say who's gonna win. If you talk about my thoughts, you know, Martin, he won the title. And hence, I don't think he's as hungry as Garry. But at the same time, Garry, after he won the last time, I think he's really hungry for the win.”

As far as the Dagestani wrestler is concerned, Tonon’s desire to have another crack at the featherweight MMA crown should power him to victory.

Then again Nguyen is also eager to reclaim the throne he once lost.

We’ll see who really wants it at ONE 165.

Watch Shamil Gasanov’s full interview below:

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Shamil Gasanov proves he’s still a legit contender after big win at ONE Fight Night 18

With featherweight MMA kings Tang Kai and Thanh Le set for a world title unification bout at ONE 166: Qatar on March 1, the rest of the division is scrambling to be the next man up.

Shamil Gasanov certainly made his case after a commendable performance last weekend at ONE Fight Night 18, where he outlasted Oh Ho Taek despite dealing with the lingering effects of food poisoning.

The replay of ONE Fight Night 18: Gasanov vs. Oh on Prime Video is available on demand for those with a Prime Video subscription in North America.