Aaron Canarte has an opportunity to break through the divisional rankings with a big win this weekend, and he’s determined to make it happen.

At ONE Fight Night 24: Brooks vs. Balart on U.S. primetime this Friday, August 2, “Tommy Gun” will collide with #5-ranked Shamil “The Cobra” Gasanov in a pivotal featherweight MMA bout inside the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Aaron Canarte plans to bounce back in his career against Gasanov

The Ecuadorian fighter absorbed the first loss of his professional career in his debut match in the world’s largest martial arts organization back at ONE Fight Night 12. At that event, it was Kyrgyzstan’s Akbar Abdullaev who kept his undefeated record with a first-round knockout.

Instead of being discouraged after losing his “O”, Canarte is looking at his loss as a chance to compete without the pressure of keeping his win streak going. Speaking to ONE, he shared his confidence on the work he put in to prepare for his upcoming fight.

“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,” he said.

Like Canarte, Gasanov also got a blemish on his professional record during his run in ONE Championship. “The Cobra” made an immediate splash in his promotional debut by taking out South Korean hard-hitter Kim Jae Woong at ONE on Prime Video 3 back in October 2022.

Unfortunately, he ran into one of the wiliest competitors in ONE when #2-ranked contender Garry Tonon submitted him in the second round of their clash at ONE Fight Night 12 – the same event where Canarte got his first loss.

Canarte confident in overcoming Gasanov

Gasanov has since rebounded with a win over Oh Ho Taek at ONE Fight Night 18 last January, and Canarte says he has been watching his upcoming opponent closely.

“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,” he said.

The Phuket Fight Club athlete will be coming in hungry for a win, and he believes he has the formula for beating the Russian star. The 27-year-old broke down the strengths and weaknesses of Gasanov, and he even offered his ideal ending to their match.

“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. I see myself knocking him out or submitting him,” he said.