"I'll leave a message to my future opponents" - Samat Mamedov ready to take the lightweight division by storm at ONE 168
Simply getting his hand raised at ONE 168: Denver won't be good enough for promotional debutant Samat Mamedov. After all, the undefeated mauler wants to announce himself as a legitimate threat in the lightweight MMA rankings in the most violent way possible.
On September 6, in ONE's return to US soil, Mamedov will take on rising star Maurice Abevi inside Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.
Speaking to the world's largest martial arts organization ahead of his debut, the 25-year-old stud vowed to put the entire 170-pound MMA division on notice:
"Of course, I want to finish the fight early, but the main thing is to win and make a statement in ONE. I'll definitely leave a message to my future opponents."
Samat Mamedov can certainly walk the talk, judging by his perfect 10-0 start in mixed martial arts.
The Kazakh marauder uses his elite grappling to overwhelm his foes, with six of his victories coming by submission. Mamedov is also no slouch on the feet, using his heavy hands to back his opponents up and control the fight on the ground with heavy top pressure.
His well-rounded abilities should serve him well against the versatile Abevi. The flashy Swiss fighter has also showcased his all-around skills after racking up back-to-back wins in the home of martial arts.
Will Samat Mamedov live up to the hype at ONE 168?
We've seen plenty of undefeated prospects sign under the ONE banner over the years. Some rose to the challenge and succeeded against elite competition on the world stage, while others fizzled under the bright lights.
We'll soon see what Samat Mamedov is truly made of at ONE 168. The Kazakh star has been thrown into the lion's den right away on such a massive card, against a formidable opponent, no less.
If he can pass this test with flying colors, Mamedov may very well put himself in contention for 26 pounds of gold sooner rather than later.
Tickets for ONE 168: Denver are available via Ticketmaster.