Tang Kai Ready To Silence Shamil Gasanov And Solidify His Place At The Top At ONE Fight Night 43
Tang Kai does not need a complicated argument for why he wins on Friday. He has one answer, and he has been landing it on elite competition for nearly four years.
The ONE Featherweight MMA World Champion defends his title against challenger Shamil “The Cobra” Gasanov in the main event of ONE Fight Night 43: Tang vs. Gasanov on Prime Video on Friday, May 15, live in U.S. primetime from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Tang claimed the ONE Featherweight MMA World Title in August 2022 when he defeated Thanh Le by unanimous decision, becoming China’s first-ever male MMA World Champion. He removed any remaining doubt about the legitimacy of that reign in March 2024 with a third-round TKO in the rematch — a definitive finish against the same man who held the belt before him. An 8-1 promotional record with five stoppages represents one of the most dominant championship runs in ONE’s featherweight history, and Tang arrives at May 15 with something to prove beyond the win itself.
“It would mean that I’m still the Tang Kai that everyone missed,” he said. “Shamil is one of the best and by defeating him, I can prove I’m still at the top of the division.”
Gasanov is the right test for that statement. The 30-year-old Dagestani carries an 18-1 record, a 6-1 promotional slate, and a wrestling-based game plan built specifically to neutralise Tang’s striking. His promise to break the champion in every round is not empty talk. He has already dismantled accomplished strikers inside ONE Championship, and his submission arsenal is genuine enough to threaten anyone who lets the fight reach the floor. Tang knows all of this, having crossed paths with Gasanov at Tiger Muay Thai, and his respect is real.
“He’s a good wrestler, very well rounded. One of the best in the world. We already know each other from Tiger Muay Thai. I think he must have studied my style for quite a long time,” Tang said. “It’s hard to say he has any weakness; I think he’s good both with the striking and grappling. But I’m also confident with my hands — when I land it, it’s over for anybody.”
That last point is where Tang’s belief is rooted. The analytical breakdown of Gasanov’s qualities matters less than the singular advantage Tang carries into every exchange, which is the ability to find the decisive shot when the fight is at its most chaotic. It is not a power claim or a stylistic preference. It is the quality that has defined every significant performance of his championship reign.
“The timing of that one shot in the chaos — that’s what I always do,” he said.
Whether Friday ends in the first round or the fifth, Tang has prepared for every version of the fight Gasanov can present. A finish would give the global audience the statement performance the occasion deserves. A five-round decision would prove his championship durability against the division’s most dangerous submission threat. Either outcome, to Tang, has the same destination.
“Of course I would love to deliver a finish for the fans, but I’m also prepared for a five-round war,” he said. “Let’s put on a great show for the fans. We have all been waiting for this moment far too long. And when we get in the ring, let’s leave with no regrets.”
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