"It's a bit new for me" - Alibeg Rasulov owns up to his weigh-in blunder after beating Ok Rae Yoon
As much as Alibeg Rasulov would have loved to have a crowning moment at ONE Fight Night 23 last Friday, he understands the consequences of his action.
The Turkish mauler upped his undefeated record to 15-0 inside the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand after outlasting former lightweight MMA world champion Ok Rae Yoon for five full rounds.
Unfortunately for Rasulov, he was ineligible to take home the interim lightweight MMA strap after missing the allotted time to make hydration.
After getting his hand raised, Rasulov admitted his blunder and vowed to learn from it moving forward.
The Hyperion Fighters representative said during his post-event interview:
"It's my first time competing in ONE Championship. It's a bit new for me, with hydration testing too. So that's why I had to cut weight twice. And you know, that's why I'm saying I could do much better. But at the same time, it was a good experience. I will do much better in the future."
Despite the stakes no longer being as high in his ONE debut, Alibeg Rasulov still came out with a point to prove.
The 31-year-old's Dagestani style pressure was as good as advertised, smothering the well-rounded Ok from start to finish.
The replay of ONE Fight Night 23 is available free on demand for Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.
Alibeg Rasulov says Ok Rae Yoon war is just a teaser of his capabilities
After the adversity he went through before the match, Alibeg Rasulov's remarkable performance is indeed quite impressive.
Ok, after all, is a formidable challenge for any 170-pound fighter in the world. Still, the unbeaten Turkish powerhouse neutralized the South Korean fighter for the dominant win.
Post-match, Rasulov promised to showcase his full potential next time out. He added:
"It was a pretty difficult fight. I'm really happy to have won and my opponent, he was strong, but still I won. But I just can say that I can do much better."
Here's Rasulov's full interview: