Shamil Gasanov banked on willpower to win at ONE Fight Night 19: “I couldn’t feel my body”

Shamil Gasanov demonstrated the true essence of a warrior’s spirit in the main event of ONE Fight Night 18 on Prime Video last Friday, January 12.

Despite grappling with a debilitating bout of food poisoning, Gasanov delighted fans at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, by putting forth a dominant performance.

As Gasanov made his way to the ring for a featherweight MMA clash against Oh Ho Taek, he was far from the picture of perfect health.

The lingering effects of a food-borne illness had taken a toll on his body during the match, leaving him weakened and fatigued.

“I don’t know what happened. After the first round, I couldn’t feel my body well. My arms and legs weren’t listening to me,” he said.

Many fighters might have considered withdrawing from the match given the circumstances. But “The Cobra” decided to push forward and face the challenge head-on.

“No, of course not. I didn’t have those thoughts,” Gasanov said.

During the match, Gasanov relied on more than just his physical abilities. The #4-ranked featherweight MMA contender leaned on his “willpower.” This attribute has made him a formidable force in the division.

“Just because of my willpower and because of my trainer, I was able to get through the fight and win,” he said.

Operating behind his impeccable ground game from bell to bell, the Russian powerhouse went on to beat Oh by a clear-cut unanimous decision.

Shamil Gasanov satisfied with performance against Oh Ho Taek

Despite his condition, Shamil Gasanov expressed satisfaction with his performance against Oh Ho Taek.

“I’m pretty happy about the win and I can say that it was a good performance from my [end],” he said.

“At the same time, I didn’t just rely on wrestling or specific techniques, I was striking, I was standing with him. I took him down multiple times and I was doing different things to him, so I’m pretty happy about my performance. Even if I didn’t feel well. I’m happy, my trainer’s happy too.”