‘Reug Reug’ Plans To Showcase New Tricks At ‘ONE on TNT IV’
“Reug Reug” Oumar Kane is ready to cause more mayhem in the Circle.
Just three weeks after his destruction of Patrick “Big Swiss” Schmid, the undefeated wrestling sensation will return to mixed martial arts action against Kirill Grishenko at “ONE on TNT IV.”
Kane knocked out Schmid, a world-class kickboxer, in just 118 seconds at “ONE on TNT I” despite a last-minute change of opponent.
The 29-year-old heavyweight had been scheduled to face Iranian wrestler Mehdi Barghi, but he took the change of styles in stride. Against the stand-up specialist, “Reug Reug” used heavy hands to earn his third professional victory and maintain his 100 percent finishing rate.
“I was training to fight a grappler, so I made the switch to just stand in the cage and try to take this guy out,” he says.
“[I proved] that I will fight at a moment’s notice. I’m here to fight and win and become the best champ in the organization. I’m here, ready to fight three weeks after my last fight. My confidence is there to see.”
The victory over Schmid came after an equally dominant ONE Championship debut this past January.
Against four-time Muay Thai and Kickboxing Heavyweight World Champion Alain “The Panther” Ngalani, “Reug Reug” took a few minutes to find his feet but ultimately finished his hulking opponent inside the first round.
That night, Kane needed to shake off a little ring rust that had built up during the COVID-19 layoff. Now that he’s staying active, though, fans can expect him to throw caution to the wind and come out firing once again.
“The Ngalani fight was my first fight in 18 months. I needed a few moments to get used to the cage,” the African dynamo says. “The last version of me you saw will just keep getting better.”
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Despite his confidence, “Reug Reug” knows his upcoming opponent has the skills and strength to cause big problems if he does not take him seriously.
Grishenko is an experienced Greco-Roman wrestler who also owns a 3-o slate with a flawless 100 percent finishing rate. Plus, all of the Belarusian’s wins have come in the first round – one by submission and two by TKO – which makes him another dangerous addition to ONE’s growing heavyweight division.
“Every fight going forward is going to get harder and tougher, but I’m ready. Nobody trains as hard as me, no one wants it as much as me,” Kane says.
“I am excited to test myself against a better opponent with a more rounded skill set. Me and my coaches have watched his fights, and we have prepared in every way possible.”
With that said, “Reug Reug” has no doubts that his record will improve to 4-0 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium this week.
“The fight will end with me getting my hand raised – this I know for sure,” he adds.
When it comes to his game plan, Kane is tight-lipped. However, he hinted that fans can expect to see more of the high-amplitude takedowns and power punches that have made him a rising star.
“I have a lot of tricks nobody has seen. They will know ‘Air Oumar’ is ready for takeoff,” he says.
“I don’t want to talk about how I will fight this guy. Just know I’m prepared. I don’t come into the cage to dance. We are here to fight, and this will be both of our toughest fights to date.
“Let’s put on the fight of the night, and give the fans around the world and on TNT in the States the best heavyweight fight of the month.”
While he won’t give away too much strategy for this bout, “Reug Reug” is willing to detail his plans for the rest of 2021.
He is still in the early stages of his mixed martial arts career, but Kane is fully focused on staying active and challenging for heavyweight gold before the calendar flips.
“It’s the same message I said at the beginning: ‘Brandon Vera, it’s me and you for the World Title at the end of the year,’” he states.
“I have a wish list of fighters. I have to win this fight first, then the next, and the next until I get to the World Champion.”
Read more: ‘Reug Reug’ Oumar Kane: From Humble Beginnings To Rising Star
