Undefeated Alibeg Rasulov had an impressive debut at ONE Fight Night 23 and lined up a title match against Christian Lee. The Turkish-Dagestani athlete won against former world champion Ok Rae Yoon with a unanimous decision. But despite his win, Rasulov thinks he could have performed better.
Alibeg Rasulov
Ok is a former division champion who has wins over fighters such as Eddie Alvarez and Christian Lee. Rasulov was proud to get a victory over such a meaningful opponent and still wants to do better. He said:
“It was a pretty difficult fight. I’m really happy to have won. My opponent was strong, but still, I won. But I will say that I can do much better.”
The match was meant to be for an interim title but due to a weight miss, Rasulov was ineligible to walk away with gold. However, with a win, he still lines himself up for a crack at the ONE lightweight world champion. Rasulov was pleased with the win but felt mixed emotions because he didn’t qualify for the ONE interim championship. He sees this as a learning experience. He explained:
“I will stay in this weight division. It’s my first time competing in ONE Championship. It’s a bit new for me, with hydration testing too. That’s why I’m saying I could do much better. But at the same time, it’s a good experience. I will do much better in the future.”
Rasulov aims to win the lightweight title and is ready to fight anyone who holds the belt, not just focusing on current champion Lee. He added:
“It’s not about Christian Lee. It’s all about the belt. I’m going to face anyone who holds the belt, and I’m going to get the belt.”
Without any injuries from his showdown, the Turkish-Dagestani fighter is hoping to compete soon in ONE Championship. The main event was held at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. This win rounds out Rasulov’s record to a perfect 14-0. Now, he’s ready to take on the division king.