‘This Fight Will Be Different’ – Aaron Canarte Vows To Stun Shamil Gasanov After First Career Loss
Aaron “Tommy Gun” Canarte is determined to bounce back from the first defeat of his professional career.
On August 2 in U.S. primetime, the Ecuadorian standout will square off with #5-ranked featherweight MMA contender Shamil “The Cobra” Gasanov at ONE Fight Night 24: Brooks vs. Balart on Prime Video, live from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
That fight will be Canarte’s first since suffering a first-round TKO loss to fellow undefeated phenom Akbar Abdullaev last July in his hotly anticipated promotional debut at ONE Fight Night 12.
“Tommy Gun” had arrived at the world’s largest martial arts organization with plenty of well-deserved hype, but now with a loss on his otherwise unblemished record, he feels a sense of relief.
He told onefc.com that tasting defeat for the first time has actually boosted his morale ahead of his clash with Gasanov:
“Now that my perfect record is gone, I know how it feels to lose and feel like I have less pressure on me.
“I think this fight will be different because I have a lot of confidence in myself, and I’m going to come forward. I’m bringing my all against Shamil Gasanov and winning this fight.”
While he’s brimming with confidence, Canarte admits that he didn’t initially handle the loss well, taking a month off of training to find his motivation.
However, he didn’t wallow in defeat for too long and has since made significant changes to his daily routine.
Now fighting out of the world-renowned Phuket Fight Club in Thailand, the 27-year-old says he’s picked himself up, put the loss to Abdullaev behind him, and is doing everything he can to become a better mixed martial artist:
“It was a bit difficult because of the way that I lost and because I lost my perfect record. I didn’t want to return to training, and I took some time to rest.
“But after that, I told myself that I have to continue moving forward. I reminded myself that this sport is difficult and that even the greats have lost. I knew I had to move forward and continue improving.”
Even as Canarte prepares for a top-five contender in Gasanov, he finds himself more confident than ever.
The Ecuadorian said:
“I don’t have anything to lose. I’m fighting someone who’s ranked, which means that I have a lot to win but not much to lose. I’m focused, and I have a lot of confidence this time around. I’ve worked hard, and I’m going into this fight with a lot of confidence in my ability.”
Canarte Confident He Can Finish Gasanov
With a new team behind him, Aaron Canarte says he’s ready for whatever Shamil Gasanov will bring to the table.
A talented takedown artist with an elite submission game and crushing top-position grappling, “The Cobra” is widely considered one of the featherweight MMA division’s best ground fighters.
Canarte, though, thinks he might be the better grappler in this matchup:
“I’ve studied Gasanov with my team at Phuket Fight Club. He’s a good wrestler, but I also have good wrestling. I’m confident that I’d be able to control him. We’re going to see what happens. I’ve been working for so many years, and I feel great.”
Canarte does admit that Gasanov is a dangerous finisher. After all, the Russian boasts 11 career stoppages across 14 total victories – all of which came in the first round.
At the same time, those quick finishes have “Tommy Gun” questioning whether Gasanov will be able to match his pace for 15 full minutes:
“He forces a finish in the first round, and he tends to gas out because of it. I don’t think he’s good at going all three rounds. I also don’t think his striking is the strongest.”
Ultimately, Canarte thinks he’ll return to the winner’s column at ONE Fight Night 24 – and he’s aiming to do so in impressive fashion.
He added a prediction for August 2:
“I see myself knocking him out or submitting him.”
