Shamil Gasanov on sacrifices he made to reach this point in his career: “We had to sleep in the gym”

Russian mixed martial arts star and current third-ranked ONE Championship featherweight MMA contender ‘The Cobra’ Shamil Gasanov has come a long way from his humble beginnings in Dagestan.

The 29-year-old Tiger Muay Thai standout faced brutal conditions growing up that tested his commitment to his craft. But Gasanov’s willingness to endure his predicament made him tough, and today, he’s one of the most talented fighters in the world’s largest martial arts organization.

Speaking to ONE Championship in a recent interview, Gasanov detailed the harsh realities of his early life as a budding martial artist.

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‘The Cobra’ told the promotion:

"We had to sleep in the gym – there was a separate room set up for that over there. There were no windows and no heating in the gym. Sometimes when we trained in winter, there was so much fog in the room from our breath. Sometimes, it was minus-5 degrees Celsius (23 degrees Fahrenheit) in the gym in winter."

Gasanov is currently riding a four-fight winning streak and is knocking on the door of a world title opportunity. If he can get past his next opponent, the title shot could come next.

Fans won’t have to wait long to see Shamil Gasanov back in action.

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Shamil Gasanov faces old foe Garry Tonon in ONE Fight Night 34 on Prime Video rematch

Russian star ‘The Cobra’ Shamil Gasanov is set to run it back with the United States’ ‘The Lion Killer’ Garry Tonon this weekend.

The two throw down in a three-round featherweight MMA showdown at ONE Fight Night 34: Eersel vs. Jarvis on Prime Video, which is set to broadcast live in U.S. primetime on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025.

The event goes down at the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action live and absolutely free with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.

Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding the event as it happens.

Follow One Championship News, Schedule & Results at Sportskeeda.

Edited by Aziel Karthak