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Shamil Gasanov finally settled the score with the only man to defeat him professionally. The Dagestani’s revenge mission against Garry Tonon required three grueling rounds and overcoming a late-fight injury to achieve closure.
Gasanov defeated Tonon by unanimous decision at ONE Fight Night 34 on Prime Video on Friday, August 1, inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium. The #3-ranked featherweight contender avenged his lone career setback while proving his evolution as a complete mixed martial artist.
Their first encounter haunted Gasanov despite his dominant early performance. The American submission specialist caught him when victory seemed assured, teaching harsh lessons about finishing fights. That defeat fueled Gasanov’s drive to prove himself against elite competition.
His pre-fight preparation focused heavily on defending Tonon’s trademark back attacks. Training camps featured countless repetitions of escaping rear-naked choke attempts, building confidence in his defensive skills. When those exact scenarios materialized against Tonon, Gasanov felt prepared rather than panicked.
The fight unfolded according to plan through two rounds. Gasanov controlled pace and positioning while neutralizing Tonon’s submission threats. But a second-round injury forced tactical adjustments that complicated his path to victory.
Round three became about survival rather than dominance. Energy conservation replaced aggressive offense as the Dagestani managed his compromised condition. He acknowledges conceding that final frame while maintaining enough of an early lead to secure victory.
“I was confident in the first two rounds that I knew that I was winning the first two rounds. So by the end of that, I was happy with my results. However, I got an injury at the end of the second round. And so in the third round, I was struggling, had to be more reserved, control my energy expenditure. And I knew that I lost the third round, or I gave up the third round,” he said through a translator.
“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.”
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