“I want to see who’s better at grappling” – Oh Ho Taek willing to engage in a ground battle against Shamil Gasanov

South Korean featherweight star ‘Spider’ Oh Ho Taek wants to put his sublime skills to the test in the riskiest way imaginable – against a dangerous Russian grappler looking to squeeze the air out of his lungs.

Oh is set to face talented Dagestani fighter ‘The Cobra’ Shamil Gasanov at ONE Fight Night 18: Gasanov vs. Oh on Prime Video, which broadcasts live from the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday, January 12.

Gasanov is known primarily as a grappler, with seven submissions out of his nine total career victories. Needless to say, turning opponents into human pretzels is 'The Cobra’s' forte.

Despite this fact, Oh Ho Taek is looking to head to the mats against Gasanov when they meet in the ring this Friday night. Whether that proves to be a wise decision or not, only Oh knows.

Speaking to ONE Championship in a recent interview, Oh said he is more than willing to head into Gasanov’s grappling wheelhouse to see who is better at jiu-jitsu.

The 30-year-old ‘Spider’ from South Korea said:

“While I'm all-rounded, In this match, I want to see who's better at grappling, which is Gasanov's strength.”

Can Oh Ho Taek beat Shamil Gasanov at his own game? We will soon find out.

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Shamil Gasanov wants to lure Garry Tonon into rematch after beating Oh Ho Taek

If Shamil Gasanov gets past Oh Ho Taek this weekend, he will be gunning for a rematch with his old foe, Garry Tonon.

In the same interview with ONE Championship, Gasanov said:

“I don't want to ask for a fight with Garry; I want to earn it. I understand that he might not be interested in this fight right now. But I'll take any fight that brings me closer to facing Tonon. And yes, I'm always interested in fighting him. It doesn't matter if he wins or loses his next fight, or even if I become the champion before him. I'll accept a fight with him at any time.”

Gasanov lost via second-round submission to Tonon in July of 2023 at ONE Fight Night 12. It’s a fight he definitely wants back, and the only way forward is by beating Oh this weekend.

Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action of ONE Fight Night 18: Gasanov vs. Oh live and absolutely free with an Amazon Prime Video subscription.