“I let my ego get the better of me” – Shamil Gasanov admits lapse in judgment became his downfall against Garry Tonon

Russian featherweight MMA contender Shamil Gasanov admits a lapse in judgment cost him a fight last time around. It is a hard lesson that he is bearing in mind as he returns to action later this week.

‘The Cobra’ headlines ONE Fight Night 18 on Prime Video on January 12 in Bangkok, Thailand. He will be going up against versatile South Korean fighter Oh Ho Taek in a featured featherweight MMA showdown.

Shamil Gasanov will be coming off a tough second-round submission loss by kneebar to American Garry Tonon back in July. It was a defeat that he said he brought to himself for his inability to exercise patience.

The Dagestani fighter intimated this in a recent interview with ONE Championship, saying:

“There were no significant changes, but I had to make some minor adjustments with my coaches. In my previous fight, I disregarded my corner's instructions when I caught a whiff of blood and let my ego get the better of me. I wanted to prove to myself that I was superior to Garry in the grappling game. This lapse in judgment cost me a fight.”

The defeat to Tonon clipped the ascent of Shamil Gasanov in ONE Championship after an impressive promotional debut in October 2022, where he submitted South Korean Kim Jae Woong in the opening round with a rear-naked choke.

He is now looking to bounce back at ONE Fight Night 18 against Oh Ho Taek, who is also gunning for a rebound victory after dropping his previous fight.

ONE Fight Night 18 will take place at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium and will air live in US primetime free of charge for existing Prime Video subscribers in North America.

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Shamil Gasanov looking to avenge loss to Garry Tonon

While his sole focus at the moment is his upcoming match at ONE Fight Night 18 on Prime Video later this week, Shamil Gasanov said a do-over against Garry Tonon is something he is interested in having next.

The 28-year-old Dagestani fighter lost to 'The Lion Killer' by submission (kneebar) in the second round of their battle of featherweight contenders back in July. Making the loss tougher to swallow was that he injured his knee in the process, which required some time to recover.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Gasanov said the loss has been on his mind the past months and something he hopes to redeem himself from at some point in the future.

The Tiger Muay Thai affiliate said:

“These past months have been a challenging period for me as I’ve been recovering from a knee injury. However, I’ve been pushing myself hard to get back in training, as my coach has strictly prohibited me from resting until I avenge my recent defeat.”

Shamil Gasanov returns to action on January 12 at ONE Fight Night 18 in Thailand in a headlining showdown against South Korean fighter Oh Ho Taek.

Tonon, meanwhile, is slated to battle on January 28 at ONE 165: Superlek vs. Takeru in Tokyo, Japan, against former double ONE world champion Martin Nguyen.