“They all stayed quiet” - Shamil Gasanov says Halil Amir is the only one brave enough to accept a fight with him 

Fourth-ranked featherweight MMA contender Shamil Gasanov insists that nobody in the division wanted a piece of him.

That said, 'The Cobra' gave Halil Amir his props for stepping up to the plate ahead of their pivotal three-round clash at ONE Fight Night 26: Lee vs Rasulov on Prime Video, this coming Friday, Dec. 6.

In an exclusive interview with ONE, Gasanov said beating 'No Mercy' at Bangkok's Lumpinee Stadium puts him one step closer to the coveted 155-pound MMA crown, currently held by Tang Kai.

“Yes, my goal now is to beat Halil and then fight for the belt. The other guys don’t interest me anymore because everyone in the top five was offered a fight with me, and they all stayed quiet.”

After losing his undefeated record to Garry Tonon last year, Shamil Gasanov bounced back with two straight victories over Oh Ho Taek and Aaron Canarte.

Stretching that streak to three should no doubt put him on the short list of challengers for the victor of Tang Kai and Akbar Abdullaev's featherweight MMA world title tilt at ONE Fight Night 27 on Jan. 10.

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Shamil Gasanov wary of Halil Amir's versatility

Despite entering this bout with unbridled confidence, Shamil Gasanov knows he cannot sleep on Halil Amir's freakish power.

'No Mercy' is a proven finisher both on the feet and the ground, something that the Russian grappler has taken into careful consideration. He told ONE:

"Every opponent is dangerous in their own way. Halil is no exception. He brings his own set of challenges. What more can I say? He's dangerous in every area — wrestling, striking, you name it. We'll just have to figure out the right approach."

Prime Video subscribers in North America can watch ONE Fight Night 26 free live as it happens in US Primetime.