"My opponents are starting to study me" - Sanzhar Zakirov admits his game is becoming predictable and he needs to level up

Fourth-ranked flyweight MMA contender Sanzhar Zakirov remains undefeated, but the Uzbek phenom knows he needs to evolve if he wants to stay ahead of the competition.

'Tornado' extended his perfect professional record to 16-0 with a unanimous decision victory over Chinese veteran and No.5-ranked Hu Yong in their flyweight MMA bout at ONE Fight Night 36 last Friday, October 3, in Bangkok, Thailand.

Following his win, the 22-year-old Khaturaev Team representative spoke with combat sports journalist Nick Atkin and revealed his plans to refine his game before returning to action.

Sanzhar Zakirov said:

"Actually, I want to take a little break for a few months — travel, train in a few different countries, level up — because I feel like my opponents are starting to study me. They know how I work."

He further added by saying:

"I think I could've finished this fight differently. I could've finished him, but sometimes things don't go to plan. It's okay.”

The admission shows maturity from the young contender, who recognizes that his dominance in the organization has made him a marked man.

With seven successive triumphs across both the strawweight and flyweight MMA divisions, opponents have had ample footage to dissect his fighting style.

However, if a new, improved, and more unpredictable Zakirov shows up next, he could very well emerge as a future world title contender in the promotion's talent-jammed flyweight MMA weight bracket.

North American fans who missed any of the action from ONE Fight Night 36: Prajanchai vs. Di Bella II can watch the replay on Amazon Prime Video.

---

Sanzhar Zakirov says he keeps improving with each passing fight

Leading up to ONE Fight Night 36, Sanzhar Zakirov told the promotion in an exclusive interview that he keeps getting better and better with each passing fight.

The 22-year-old shared:

"I learn and grow from fight to fight. I just love to fight. If I had the chance, I would fight every month."

He certainly walked the walk when all was said and done during ONE's latest American prime time spectacle last week.

With a 16-0 slate, which includes 10 highlight-reel victories, Sanzhar Zakirov should be feeling on top of the world — rightfully so.

Now, all that is left for the young gun is to secure the flyweight crown, which will be on the line when ONE flyweight MMA world champion Yuya Wakamatsu defends his title against strawweight MMA king Joshua Pacio at ONE 173 in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday, November 16.