5 Reasons Why Halil Amir Could Take ONE’s Lightweight MMA Division by Storm
After a pair of impressive outings in ONE Championship, Halil Amir could take another step toward the top of the lightweight MMA division at ONE Fight Night 16: Haggerty vs. Andrade on Prime Video.
The hard-hitting Turkish athlete will next put his #4 ranking on the line against tough Pakistani veteran Ahmed “Wolverine” Mujtaba in U.S. primetime on Friday, November 3.
Now eyeing his third straight victory in the organization, Amir knows that another stellar performance would further cement him as a threat to the top contenders.
Here are five reasons why the 29-year-old phenom has the potential to shake things up and fight his way into the World Title picture.
#1 He’s Never Lost In MMA
Amir proudly boasts an unblemished professional mixed martial arts record of 9-0.
He made his debut in 2016 but then started competing regularly in 2019, taking on some strong opposition in his native Turkey, as well as Serbia, Abu Dhabi, and Russia.
A perfect run in the sport surely gives the Amir Team representative a huge confidence boost, and his desire to protect that “0” means he’ll be ready to leave everything in the ring.
It also means nobody has figured out a way to defeat Amir yet, so there’s no defined blueprint for his opponents to follow.
#2 He’s A Knockout Machine
Amir has finished eight of his nine wins, with seven of those coming by knockout. The talented striker is incredibly powerful, and when his fists start to land, his foes fall.
However, it’s not all-out aggression like some other renowned finishers.
Instead, the Turk takes a measured approach. He can stalk his rivals and move forward, but he’s also a patient counter-striker who is dangerous in retaliation, offering no breaks whether on the front or back foot.
Even in his lone decision win, Amir floored Maurice Abevi with heavy punches, with only Abevi’s commendable durability keeping him in the match.
#3 He Has A Nasty Ground Game
While Amir has just one submission finish in MMA to date, his ground game can’t be discounted on that basis.
The lightweight employs strong top control, where he delivers harsh ground-and-pound, and he can also quickly advance into dominant positions.
Against Abevi, he set up a rare Suloev stretch from the back that would have finished anyone other than the most flexible and durable opponents, showing he has plenty to offer on the canvas.
#4 He’s Ready For Anything
Although he’s based in Turkey, Amir holds his training camps in the famous fighting region of Dagestan.
Known for its relentless competitors and elite-level wrestlers, the region offers the stand-up specialist an opportunity to develop his all-around game alongside high-level teammates at Dagestan Fighter gym.
With the likes of former ONE Featherweight MMA World Champion Marat Gafurov and top welterweight MMA contender Murad Ramazanov in the facility, Amir is exposed to strong takedowns and forced to fight from his back often.
This training will help round out his skills before facing the lightweight MMA division’s top grappling specialists.
#5 He Lets His Creativity Shine
Beyond his potent weapons, Amir is also extremely creative when he starts to build momentum in a fight
A taekwondo black belt, the Turkish southpaw has a wide-ranging arsenal of strikes to choose from when the moment takes him.
For instance, if his foes are backing away from his power, Amir likes to unleash spinning kicks and backfists that give them even more to worry about.
Having so much in his repertoire, the exciting lightweight can pose a threat in a variety of ranges – whether his rivals are attacking, defending, or fleeing.
