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ONE Championship flyweight contender, Gustavo Balart is no stranger to the big stage. He has been competing at the highest level since he started wrestling at the young age of nine. Balart was born and bred as a wrestler and competed all the way until he reached the Olympics in 2012 in London.
“Many people dream of it [the Olympics] but only few can achieve it. But when the London Olympic Games came around in 2012, I saw Demetrious Johnson get crowned and I said, ‘This is my time.’ So I started training all the disciplines of MMA and trying to get to the United States.”
Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson, who is part of the ONE Championship flyweight division, started his title reign in 2012 which ended after six years of pure dominance. Balart started training full-time in MMA after his Olympic run to follow in Johnson's footsteps in hopes of becoming a world champion one day.
Balart has fought through adversity for much of his life, which has gotten him far in his combat sports career. Being from Cuba, he has gone through a lot to be in the position that he is in today and he is doing this for his family back home.
“It was very difficult. When I left Cuba, I left behind a five-year-old daughter, my other three-year-old little girl, and my wife, who was three months pregnant. It was very difficult for me to make that decision, but it was very necessary, because today I am here and I can support them and give them things that I couldn’t when I was in Cuba. ”
Gustavo Balart faces Yosuke Saruta at ONE Championship: Reloaded
Balart is set to take on his toughest test to date in the ONE Championship cage when he faces veteran Yosuke Saruta. He racked up his first win in his new weight class against fellow flyweight Ryuto Sawada. He is hoping to keep his momentum going on April 22.
Watch Balart vs. Sawada below:
Balart has a fan-friendly style, as he is always pushing the pace whether it be on the feet striking or slamming his opponents to the mat. He has what it takes to make a real run at the flyweight title. Gustavo Balart gets to show the whole world that he is a threat to Adriano Moraes' title reign this weekend at ONE Championship: Reloaded.
