- George Chung
- Oct 1, 2024
- 3 min read
Mansur Malachiev is looking to make noise at ONE Fight Night 25 on Friday, October 4. The talented Russian strawweight will meet Bokang Masunyane, and the winner will move a step closer to realizing their championship dreams.
The 32-year-old is locked in on the gold, so much so that he is barely even giving thought to the man who will be standing in front of him in Bangkok.
“Honestly, I don’t think about him very often. But I’m very happy to face a guy who is ranked number two in the division because a fight like this brings me closer to my ultimate dream of getting a title shot,” Malachiev told ONE.
Malachiev feels confident going into the matchup as he expects to hold a grappling advantage over the South African.
However, he is not discounting his opponent’s abilities and believes a few tricks may be up his sleeve come Friday night.
“His strength is his powerful wrestling, but I’m sure he can surprise me in other aspects. MMA is always full of surprises and anything is to be expected. I’m sure I’ll be better than my opponent in both wrestling and stand-up [fighting],” the Russian remarked.
The Russian did not make a bold prediction for a highlight-reel finish. It is not something he is planning to go after at ONE Fight Night 25.
He is simply trying to assert his dominance and send a message to Joshua Pacio and Jarred Brooks, who currently sit atop the fast-paced division.
“I don’t like to talk too much before the fight, but I will do everything to win this fight. For me, it’s not important to finish him early. The most important thing for me is to win this fight and prove that I’m the best,” the top-five-ranked strawweight said.
“After the win, I deserve to fight for the belt, and it will be fair as Bokang is number two in the rankings.”
While Brooks and Pacio still need to complete their story, with Brooks holding the ONE Interim Strawweight MMA World Title, Malachiev is leaning toward the American in the upcoming unification contest.
Given the disqualification that lost Brooks the gold and the stylistic matchup that he would bring against the 32-year-old, Malachiev sees him as the division’s current king.
“I think Brooks is the real champion, not Pacio. That’s why I would like to fight him the most,” Malachiev stated.
“His strong point is his wrestling. Of course, you can’t underestimate his stand-up either, because he’s shown that he’s good in all aspects, both stand-up and wrestling. But I’m sure that I’ve got some advantages and when we fight, I’ll be better. I can beat Brooks. I’m sure it will be a very entertaining fight for the fans.”
The want to face “The Monkey God” also endures because of how the American presents himself outside of the ring.
The talk on social media has only spurred the Russian’s desire for a huge win at ONE Fight Night 25.
“In my opinion, Brooks will never be very complimentary about my skills, judging by the strong words we’ve exchanged on social media. His biggest mistake is that he talks too much. One day, I will prove to him that he’s wrong about me and that he’s just a big mouth,” Malachiev said.
ONE Fight Night 25 airs live and free on Prime Video on Friday, October 4. The event is free for all Amazon Prime members based in the U.S. and Canada at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
