- Shamil Gasanov beat Garry Tonon at ONE Fight Night 34 with a unanimous decision
- After the win, Gasanov said he was confident heading into the judges’ scorecards
- Gasanov lost by submission the last time he faced Tonon, back in July 2023
Third-ranked featherweight MMA contender Shamil “The Cobra” Gasanov secured the most satisfying victory of his career, as he earned sweet revenge from the only man who has ever defeated him.
The Dagestani showcased his well-rounded repertoire at ONE Fight Night 34 this past Friday, August 1, to beat American sensation Garry “The Lion Killer” Tonon and leave Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium with the unanimous decision victory.
Fueled by his desire for redemption, Gasanov controlled the tempo of the rematch with his refined striking arsenal and suffocating top pressure.
However, he didn’t leave unscathed, as Tonon attempted to steal the victory with multiple submission attempts in the final stanza.
Speaking to onefc.com, Gasanov said he was confident heading into the judges’ scorecards, despite the American’s late surge. The 29-year-old said through a translator:
“[He was] confident in the first two rounds. He knew that he was winning the first two rounds. So by the end of that, he was happy with his results. However, he got an injury at the end of the second round.
“And so in the third round, he was struggling, had to be more reserved, and control his energy expenditure. And he knows that he lost the third round, or he gave up the third round. But other than that, he was very confident and happy with himself.”
Knowing he was behind, Tonon turned on the jets in the third frame by landing takedowns and capturing Gasanov’s back on two separate occasions.
At one point, it looked like the notorious submission hunter had the win in the bag after yanking a nasty face crank.
But the determined Gasanov proved he learned from the lessons of his previous submission loss to Tonon back in July 2023.
This time, “The Cobra” stayed composed, ensured his neck was well protected, and masterfully escaped the precarious predicament. The breakthrough performance stretched the Dagestani’s active winning streak to five and pushed his overall record to 18-1.
Gasanov credited his ONE Fight Night 34 success to his tireless efforts behind closed doors, which allowed him to overcome one of the most feared BJJ specialists in MMA today.
He explained:
“Actually, this has been a big part of my training. I’m always in my training and my preparations. I’m always giving my back up to be able to practice getting out of that position, out of that submission.
“So, there was not a part of me that wasn’t confident that I’d be able to get out this time as well. The only thing I was worried about was the legs. But with my back, this was something I was prepared for.”
Gasanov Has Nothing But Respect For Tonon
After succumbing to a nasty kneebar at the hands of Garry Tonon in July 2023, Shamil Gasanov has been obsessed with improving his skills and avenging that loss.
Now, having spent the past two years working his way back to a rematch, the Dagestani takes great pride in finally overcoming his demons and beating his former tormentor.
Gasanov said:
“I called him out when I joined the league because I knew he was a strong grappler. I knew he was a strong opponent, and I lost that fight. Although I do think I was dominating the fight for a while, in the end, I did lose. I am happy that I got my revenge today. It was important to me.”
Despite that obsession to even the score, there isn’t any bad blood between the two.
Gasanov has the utmost respect for his American rival, claiming that his friendly feud with Tonon has only made him a better mixed martial artist.
The Dagestani offered:
“To be honest, I wouldn’t say that we’re really big rivals or at war or anything. We have a lot of respect for each other. Our team, our coaches have a lot of respect for each other, too.”
