Elbek Alyshov is 10-0 as a professional, with nine finishes. On Friday, July 31, he gets his first shot at a world title, against ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu at The Inner Circle 24 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok. It is Baatarkhuu’s first defence.
Baatarkhuu, 37, won the belt at ONE Fight Night 38 last December by submitting Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade in the fourth round. Only one other fighter from Mongolia has won a ONE world title: his mentor, former featherweight champion Narantungalag “Tungaa” Jadambaa. The route to Andrade went through Carlo Bumina-ang, Aaron Canarte and Jeremy Pacatiw. Before the title win, Baatarkhuu reached the final of Netflix’s Physical: Asia with Team Mongolia.
Alyshov, 27, is from Azerbaijan. He has two ONE appearances, and both ended in submissions over men Baatarkhuu also beat. He choked out Pacatiw with an arm-triangle at ONE Fight Night 34 last August. Three months later at ONE Fight Night 37 he submitted Bumina-ang in the second round. Those two fights lasted a combined 10 minutes and 31 seconds. ONE puts his finishing rate at 90 percent.
Styles
Baatarkhuu presses forward, takes punishment and works the clinch, where his submission game starts. Alyshov comes from judo and wrestling and throws opponents hard.
The experience gap is one thing analysts at ONE point to. Alyshov has never fought deep into a title fight. Baatarkhuu has, and he has been knocked down before. Against Jhanlo Mark Sangiao he got up and finished the job. No opponent has ever submitted him.
Whoever wins, a successful defence would keep Baatarkhuu on course for his stated next target, featherweight champion Tang Kai, and a shot at titles in two divisions. For Alyshov, a win would make him the first Azerbaijani to hold a ONE world title in MMA.
The co-main event is a flyweight Muay Thai bout between Johan Ghazali and Ramadan Ondash. The Inner Circle 24 streams live for members, and ONE Friday Fights 164 runs on the same night.
Sources
- Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu to defend ONE Bantamweight MMA World Title against undefeated Elbek Alyshov at The Inner Circle 24
- Baatarkhuu Vs. Alyshov: 4 Keys To Victory In The ONE Bantamweight MMA World Title Showdown At The Inner Circle 24
- ONE Friday Fights 164 & The Inner Circle 24
