Shamil Gasanov says he knew that if he got caught in Garry Tonon submission that he'd 'be able to get out'

Dagestan's Shamil Gasanov entered his rematch with Garry Tonon with supreme confidence in his defensive grappling abilities after learning from their first encounter back in July 2023.

The 29-year-old Russian successfully exacted his revenge with a unanimous decision victory at ONE Fight Night 34, overcoming multiple submission attempts from the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt inside Bangkok's legendary Lumpinee Stadium.

Despite being tested to the fullest on the canvas against Tonon's no-holds-barred approach on the ground, the Peresvet Fight Team and Tiger Muay Thai representative managed to thwart any of his opposite number's chokes and cranks.

Speaking to members of the media during the post-fight interview, Shamil Gasanov shared:

"There was not a part of me that wasn't confident that I'd be able to get out this time as well. The only thing I was worried about was the legs. But with my back, this was something I was prepared for."

The Russian's mental fortitude proved crucial from the very start as Tonon launched in with one takedown after another, but his defensive improvements allowed him to escape. Tonon even threw in a final Hail Mary in the dying seconds of the final canto, but once more, 'The Cobra' slithered out of danger.

Eventually, his ability to neutralize Tonon's work on the canvas, coupled with his solid striking, helped him impress all three judges at ringside inside the Mecca of Muay Thai.

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Shamil Gasanov on bad blood with Tonon

Shortly after drawing even in his series against Tonon, a victory that improved his slate to to 18-1 and extended his winning streak to five, Shamil Gasanov shut down any talk about him and the American MMA star sharing any heated rivalry.

The Russian grappling specialist added during the same post-fight interview:

"To be honest, I wouldn't say that we're really big rivals or at war or anything. We have a lot of respect for each other. Our team, our coaches have a lot of respect for each other, too."

North American fans can relive this scrap and the complete ONE Fight Night 34 card via replay on Amazon Prime Video.