“We start at a very early age” - Alibeg Rasulov shares why Dagestan is a hotbed for elite wrestlers
Alibeg Rasulov plans on becoming another success story for Dagestani mixed martial arts.
Over the last decade, athletes from Dagestan have seemingly started to take over MMA at every level. The sport has seen a slew of world-class athletes from the republic in southwestern Russia, including Rasulov who will compete for his first ONE world title on Friday, December 6 inside the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Speaking with the promotion ahead of his highly anticipated title tilt with reigning and defending ONE lightweight MMA world champion Christian Lee, Rasulov offered some insight into why Dagestan is known for producing so many top-shelf athletes.
“Wrestling is my base, and I like this sport very much," Rasulov said. "I think everybody knows that very good wrestlers come from Dagestan. We start at a very early age. We get used to competing and fighting."
Rasulov, who was born in Dagestan but now calls Turkey home, made his promotional debut at ONE Fight Nigh 23 over the summer, scoring a dominant decision victory over former ONE world titleholder Ok Rae Yoon.
Christian Lee returns after two years to defend his title against Alibeg Rasulov at ONE Fight Night 26
When Christian Lee puts his gold on the line against Alibeg Rasulov in the ONE Fight Night 26 headliner, it will be his first time competing in more than two years.
The last time 'The Warrior' stepped inside the Circle was at ONE on Prime Video 4 in November 2022. On that night, Lee got into a knockdown drag-out brawl with then-welterweight MMA world champion Kiamrian Abbasov.
Already holding the ONE lightweight MMA crown, Lee added a second title to his collection with an epic come-from-behind KO of Abbasov in the fourth round.
Now, ONE Championship's most prolific finisher is back and ready to resume his reign of dominance over both divisions.
Who comes out on top and leaves the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok with ONE lightweight MMA gold over their shoulder?
Fans in the United States and Canada can watch ONE Fight Night 26 live on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, December 6 in U.S. primetime.