Elbrus Osmanov Eyes Next Move After Earning ONE Championship Main Roster Contract
Elbrus Osmanov had been knocking on the door for two years. On May 1 at The Inner Circle, he kicked it down.
The 24-year-old Russian stopped former two-division Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion Ratchasiesan Laochokcharoen inside the first round of the featherweight Muay Thai main event to earn a six-figure US$100,000 ONE Championship contract, moving his professional record to 15-1 in the process.
Osmanov entered the fight with a precise blueprint. Ratchasiesan’s chin had been tested across more than 100 career bouts and had rarely been found wanting, which made the head a dangerous target. Osmanov and his corner had spotted something more productive — a vulnerability to body attacks that Ratchasiesan’s otherwise disciplined defence did not account for.
“Ratchasiesan has a good chin, and that’s why I hunted the body,” Osmanov said. “Mehdi [Zatout] noticed this before the fight, and I did it. I worked so hard for those body shots. First knockdown, I felt how my punch got inside. I saw he went down, and after that, I felt good and more motivated to finish him.”
Two body knockdowns followed in rapid succession. Ratchasiesan refused to stay down, pulling himself upright each time with the kind of heart that has kept him competitive at the elite level for years. Osmanov was caught off guard by the Thai’s durability, though never for long.
“He has a big heart. I was surprised because I punched him very, very hard. I don’t know how he stood up,” he said. “Ratchasiesan is a very strong fighter. Big respect to him.”
A crescent kick to the body ended it for good. The contract Osmanov had been chasing through ten consecutive ONE appearances was finally his, and the moment hit him in full.
“I’m feeling so amazing because I was waiting for this moment a long time,” he said. “It means a lot because now I have a chance to hunt a belt in the bantamweight kickboxing division.”
One name sits above everything else on that list. Yuki Yoza handed Osmanov his only professional defeat at ONE Friday Fights 109, and with Yoza fresh off a title challenge loss to Jonathan Haggerty at ONE SAMURAI 1, the timing for a rematch has never looked better. Osmanov made his intentions plain.
“It’s time to rematch with Yuki Yoza. You are a very strong fighter. I want to fight with you again, and I will beat you,” he said. “I’m coming for you.”
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