Shamil Gasanov says striking battle with Garry Tonon was the main focus of his game plan

Shamil Gasanov (right) and Garry Tonon in action at ONE Fight Night 34. [Image courtesy from ONE Championship]
Shamil Gasanov (right) and Garry Tonon in action at ONE Fight Night 34. [Image courtesy: ONE Championship]

Shamil Gasanov acknowledged that he expected Garry Tonon to bring improved striking to their featherweight MMA rematch at ONE Fight Night 34.

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The 29-year-old Russian grappler successfully exacted his revenge with a unanimous decision victory inside Bangkok's legendary Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, Aug. 1, following their tactical battle that showcased both fighters' evolution.

While they entertained and delivered a grappling masterclass on the canvas, their striking exchanges were contested in a similarly thrilling affair.

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Shamil Gasanov told media through a translator during his post-fight interview:

"Yeah, he's been focusing on striking for both this fight and the previous fight as well, and that was important to him and he was able to demonstrate it in this fight and the last fight he had."

The Peresvet Fight Team and Tiger Muay Thai representative's assessment reflects his preparation for facing an improved version of the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt compared to their first encounter in July 2023.

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Like 'The Cobra's' much-improved stand-up arsenal, Tonon's striking development was there for all to see inside the Mecca of Muay Thai.

Despite the American being sharp in some aspects of his stand-up game, Gasanov's ability to neutralize Tonon's enhanced striking while avoiding the submission attempts that ended their first meeting allowed him to draw level in their head-to-head rivalry.

The victory pushed his overall record to 18-1 and extended his active winning streak to five, a run of results that saw him even dominate former two-division ONE MMA world champion Martin Nguyen.

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Shamil Gasanov says he knew he had victory over Tonon in the bag after two rounds

During the same post-fight interview, the Dagestani warrior revealed the moment he knew he had exacted revenge against the man who handed him the only defeat of his career a little more than two years ago.

Shamil Gasanov shared via a translator:

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"Yeah, confident in the first two rounds that he knew that he was winning the first two rounds. So by the end of that, he was happy with his results."

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

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Edited by Aziel Karthak
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