“My body wasn’t well” – Shamil Gasanov says he could have performed better vs. Oh Ho Taek if not for bout with food poisoning 

Despite scoring a unanimous decision victory over Oh Ho Taek at ONE Fight Night 18 over the weekend, Shamil Gasanov knows he didn’t perform to his usual standards.

Using his remarkable grappling acumen, the fourth-ranked ONE featherweight MMA contender controlled the bout from the beginning to the end of their main event clash at Lumpinee Stadium.

However, ‘The Cobra’ was unable to put ‘Spider’ away, despite securing several dominant positions on the ground in their 15-minute affair.

In his in-ring interview with Mitch Chilson, Gasanov revealed he dealt with a nasty bout of food poisoning prior to the bout that left him physically compromised.

According to the Russian powerhouse, he could have finished Oh had he been 100 percent healthy.

The Peresvet Fight Team and Tiger Muay Thai affiliate said:

“I felt this fight was going to be easy, but at the same time, I didn’t feel well. My body wasn’t well after the first round.”

While he could have just as easily pulled out of this match-up after contracting the illness, Gasanov soldiered on and fought admirably.

The South Korean had no answer for his relentless Dagestani-style top pressure and was on the defensive from start to finish.

We can’t wait to see how a healthy Shamil Gasanov will perform in his next outing.

The replay of ONE Fight Night 18: Gasanov vs. Oh on Prime Video is available on demand for those with a Prime Video subscription in North America

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How does Shamil Gasanov figure in the featherweight MMA title picture?

Shamil Gasanov is back in the winner’s circle, bouncing back nicely from the first loss of his career against Garry Tonon last year.

The Russian has been vocal about his desire to rematch ‘The Lion Killer’ and will surely keep a close eye on Tonon’s upcoming showdown with Martin Nguyen at ONE 165 on January 28.

For now, Gasanov might need a win or two to put himself in the conversation for the winner of the upcoming featherweight MMA world title unification match between Tang Kai and Thanh Le at ONE 166: Qatar on March 1.