11-0 in MMA, and driving a powerful three-fight win streak in ONE, Ramazanov is a real contender within the welterweight division.
With a robust wrestling background, the 27-year-old was additionally unbeaten as an beginner, and is aware of a win this weekend would put him within the higher echelons of the division, and in title competition.
However who’s Murad Ramazanov?
He grew up in Makhachkala, Russia, a now famed location for the manufacturing of top-class fighters. The youngest of three kids, Ramazanov had a snug upbringing due to his household’s small manufacturing enterprise, primarily specialising in footwear.
He describes himself as being spoiled as a baby, with a particular relationship together with his father – and being stored in line by a extra strict mom.
Regardless of his father wanting Ramazanov to observe in his footsteps as a businessman, there have been early indicators of a extra combative future.
“My father had a huge influence on me – he was my rock, my support, and me inspiration. One of my on- screen heroes was [Arnold] Schwarzenegger, but my true idol was Jean-Claude Van Damme – we had a tape with “Bloodsport,” and I will need to have watched it a thousand occasions. I cherished his method, his kicks – it was spectacular.”
As a teenager, he would struggle on the streets, however nothing too severe. He had tried his hand at boxing and soccer, however when he was launched to wrestling by his father he had an on the spot connection.
“He practiced it within the military, when he served in Georgia, the place it’s a very talked-about sport. I began
with boxing after I was 10 or 11 years previous, then soccer for a yr, the place coaches weren’t nice. I didn’t wish to begin freestyle wrestling due to the coaches who introduced up shouting and hitting. However one morning, after I was 12 years previous, my father took me to Greco-Roman Wrestling, the place there was a youthful coach, he had a distinct strategy to us. My father informed me that I might practice for per week and if I didn’t prefer it, then I might stop. However I actually received into it shortly.”
Scouted from a younger age by nationwide coaches, Ramazanov would go on to win a number of junior and beginner accolades, and even moved to Moscow to additional his wrestling training – a tough transfer for somebody so household oriented. After turning into disillusioned with a drop in teaching requirements, he would transfer from Moscow to Dagestan and his transition to jiu-jitsu and MMA started.
“Due to my wrestling background, I instantly received good at it – they even thought that I
was an skilled fighter,” he stated. “I joined a pro team under Yusup Saadulaev and there were so many skilled guys among them! I thought I was good, but I was humbled. I got caught in triangles and armbars, which I didn’t like. I wanted to spar with MMA guys who were great on the ground and on their feet, but I didn’t have enough skill. I wasn’t planning to go straight into MMA, but I quickly realized that I was only good in one area: wrestling. My new goal was to become a well-rounded fighter, to learn how to use elbows and knees, and how to mix wrestling and striking.”
This was all on the age of 16.
Impressed by Khabib Nurmagomedov, he would keep true to his wrestling background and construct his base from there.
“Khabib used his biggest asset – the dominant wrestling – and developed everything else from that. I tried to emulate him. If it wasn’t for Khabib, I would have lost some of my core skills, trying to become a striker, a kickboxer,” he defined.
It labored. An undefeated stint as an beginner finally led to Ramazanov having some skilled fights as a youngster. However an enormous win when he was 21, pushed his trajectory, and by early 2020 we was signing with ONE.
“Before I signed with ONE, I had followed this organization for a while because I liked its tough rules. Guys from my gym like Marat Gafurov and Yusup Saadulaev fought there. When I went to Singapore for my debut, I was impressed by how the staff treated us athletes, how we were greeted by CEO Chatri Sityodtong.”
And now he sits 3-0 in ONE on the verge of a title shot, he thinks he already deserves, with Soldic standing in his approach.
“I believe I deserved it then, but when the corporate’s administration determined that I wanted to smash
one other man on the best way to the highest, it’s okay. I believe yet one more struggle, and I needs to be given a title shot. I’ve already gained three fights in ONE, that’s sufficient for a title shot, I believe and plenty of consultants and MMA followers agree with me.”
It’s a excessive stakes struggle for each males, and one which might steal the present this weekend.
ONE Battle Evening 5: De Ridder vs. Malykhin takes place Saturday December 3 5am GST on the Mall Of Asia Enviornment, Manila. This can be a evening to not be missed so mark your calendars, obtain the ONE Tremendous App, and go to look at.onefc.com now!
