Exclusive ONE Fight Night 23 Post-Fight Interviews

Bangkok, Thailand: ONE Championship™ (ONE) athletes who competed at ONE Fight Night 23: Ok vs. Rasulov answered questions in post-fight interviews following their incredible performances.

In the main event, undefeated star Alibeg Rasulov scored the most significant victory of his career as he defeated former ONE Lightweight MMA World Champion Ok Rae Yoon. In the co-main event, #1-ranked bantamweight Muay Thai contender Nico “King of the North” Carrillo extended his impressive knockout streak, putting away #4-ranked Saemapetch Fairtex.

Below you can read what they had to say following their fights:

Alibeg Rasulov

On his ONE debut:

First of all, I want to say thank you. It’s my first time in ONE Championship, and it was such a [good] fight for a first time. I went five rounds. I want to say thank you to ONE Championship.

On what he’s feeling going into his first fight in ONE:

I have experience. I fought more people in the past. I had a lot of fights before. So yeah, I was just getting ready. I wasn’t too worried, and I will stay in this weight division.

Grading his performance:

You know, like it was a pretty difficult fight. I’m really happy to have won and my opponent, he was strong, but still I won. But I just can say that I can do much better.

On being underestimated:

I don’t know, like I was just getting ready.

On missing weight:

It’s my first time competing in ONE Championship. It’s a bit new for me, with hydration testing too. So that’s why I had to cut weight twice. And, you know, that’s why I’m saying I could do much better. But at the same time, it’s a good experience. I will do much better in the future. 

On possibly facing Christian Lee:

It’s not about Christian Lee. It’s all about the belt. I’m going to face anyone who holds the belt and I’m going to get this belt.

On getting back in action soon:

It’s all going to depend on ONE Championship. I’m not injured, I feel pretty good. I didn’t take a lot of damage, so I’m going to be ready. And also, I just want to say that I don’t want to waste my time. I’m ready for the fight if there’s a fight. My weight is always good, so I’m going to be ready all the time.

Nico Carrillo

On beating another Thai legend:

Yeah. Thank you very much. I’m on cloud nine. I’m very happy with my performance. And yeah, another Thai legend added to the list. Not many people can say they’ve done what I’m doing.

On Saemapetch’s durability:

I’m not surprised. I think he had a bit of a weird tactic. He was ducking his head when I was coming in close, and I had to readjust to that, because it was taking the power out of my shots. That was a bit strange. But after I readjusted, yeah, I knew he wasn’t going to be able to take the shots.

On getting another bonus:

Yeah, I’m over the moon to get the bonus, and I’m motivated by goals, but obviously, when you’re good at something, I believe that you should get paid for it as well. So I’m very happy about that. What I’m going to use it for, honestly, I just really like that sat in the bank. I’m trying to save my money, stack it up.

On his continued improvements:

Yeah, I’m still improving, [even] in this fight camp alone. I’m a new fighter compared to seven months ago, when I fought Nong-O. That shows how much I’m improving [I’ve done] in a space of one fight camp. I was inactive for five to three months because of surgery. So I only went back in for 10 weeks, maybe. So in 10 weeks, not even in 10 weeks, six weeks, I’ve improved so much, and I don’t believe I’m in my prime yet. I don’t think I’ll be at my prime until I’m like 27-28. You should still see the best of Nico [to come], and I’m like fine wine.

On what he seeks to improve:

I’m unsure. It just depends on the fight. I just know I can do things better, and that’s all.

On his Thai fans:

That was the best reception I’ve ever had. Walking out there, I actually felt like I was in Scotland. And so I know there were a lot of Scottish people there, but even the Thai fans showed me so much love, and I am so appreciative for that.

On the winner between Superlek and Jonathan Haggerty:

Not sure.

On who he wants to fight between Superlek and Jonathan Haggerty:

I would prefer to fight Haggerty, not because he’s better or anything. I would just like to be the one to take the belt from him.

On putting Scottish Muay Thai on the map:

That is what it’s all about for me, inspiring people from the UK, inspiring people from Scotland, inspiring people from where I grew up. That is the goal. That is the end goal for me, apart from all the money and the gold. It is about leaving a legacy and letting people know the way I grew up, you don’t have to be a product of your own environment. You can choose another path, a path of greatness. But there’s a lot of hard work and dedication that comes with it, but it’s up to you if you want to do it.

Tye Ruotolo

On his performance:

Thank you very much. For sure, I could have performed a lot better. It’s not a performance that I’m very proud of. I didn’t have the best camp and I didn’t feel the best way going through the fight, unless it’s the fact that I won even on my worst day. It makes me happy. But that’s not a performance that I like to have, especially in a place like Lumpinee. I have so much respect for the people in the audience and the stadium, so I always do my best to give a good show.

On Jozef Chen:

He’s pretty much exactly how I anticipated him to be, very good technique. He’s a tough kid. Maybe a little stronger than I thought. You know, he looks like a nerd online, to be honest with you. But he’s a little bit stronger in person. But yeah, all the respect to Jozef, he’s such a good representative of jiu-jitsu. [He has] really amazing technique, and [he’s] a really good kid. I’m really grateful to have the match with him.

On not getting a submission win:

I really can just sit here and make a bunch of excuses. But just within my camp, I was sick for most of it. And even before the fight, I really was feeling a bit off. I’ve been going through a couple little neck things. It has kind of been affecting a little bit of my nerve, the vagus nerve. I really wasn’t feeling great going into the match, but even on all my worst days, I just gotta man up and get it done, and that’s what I did. I’m stoked to get it done, and in my next performance, I will be better. I’m going to go home, and get in front of everything that would prevent me from having a great performance in my next one. I’ll perform how I’m supposed to.

On his striking skills:

100 percent. I think it’s a little bit better than Kade’s. But yeah, I can’t wait to do MMA, you know, I’m so excited to go. I’ve been watching my brother’s last fight, it got me so fired up. It was so rad to see him. We always grew up watching MMA fights, and we always knew that we wanted to be MMA fighters one day, too, not just [become] fighters, but the best. So I’m happy to get this win in jiu-jitsu. One more for the legacy. My legacy is not done. I want to be the best in the world of jiu-jitsu. No questions, no matter what. I know I’m on my way. I think right now, we’re probably considered the best, my brother and I, for sure. But I want to be pound-for-pound, the best in the world. So I’m not going to stop until I get to that. But an MMA fight, that’s such a big thing for me, so I’m excited to climb the ranks there too.

On his next opponent:

We’ve been trying to get [Nicholas] Meregali for a long time. I guess he’s very difficult to work with, I don’t know, but I just think he doesn’t really want to fight, to be honest with you. The last time we fought, I had multiple torn ligaments in my knee. He used to be fifty pounds heavier and I still Alpha-checked him, to be honest he was still backing up at the end of the fight, you know. So that’s one that I really want to get back. If not Meregali, it doesn’t really matter, whoever ONE feels like they want to put in front of me next. I’m ready for anything.

On plans to be part of the ONE U.S. events:

Yeah, I can’t wait to be able to compete back home, for sure. It would be such a great opportunity. I know the Atlanta card, there’s already some epic matches on there. So if I could get on that card, that would be amazing. Maybe give the other guys some jet lag for once. But yeah, I’m super grateful to have my health, and I’m grateful for what the year looks like in the future. I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of big events and I’m excited to get into [them].

On their gym in Costa Rica:

It’s going to be an amazing. It’s heaven on earth over there for us, my brother, it’s a place that we’ve always been wanting to get to since we were little kids and live there, and we’re finally able to build the life that we want out there. It’s a dream come true. I can’t wait just to have a bunch of people out to come surf and train and share what we love so much.

Oumar ‘Reug Reug’ Kane:

On animosity between him and Ketchup:

Yes, but this is [just a] fight. In a fight, you come in hungry. And this is a fight. You come in [here] all the time and you’re hungry. You just gotta beat this guy. He’s talking too much, this guy, since [before] the fight.

How happy are you with your performance tonight?

[It’s] good. I’m happy. I’m happy for ONE Championship for giving me the fight. I’m very, very happy.

On Boucher Ketchup:

This fight finished only in the first round, but this guy has a [big following] in Senegal. Everybody knows this guy. He’s a good guy. He has good wrestling in Senegal. But this guy is not [at] a high level. Everybody should know this guy is, [we’re not on the] same high level. My boxing is much better now.

On how ready he is for his bout with Anatoly Malykhin in the U.S.A:

It’s the same for me, in my mind. This guy was talking too much. Inshallah, I beat this guy easily.

On his prediction on his upcoming fight at ONE 169:

I win! Maybe punch him, maybe high kick, anything. Maybe [with my] wrestling, maybe jiu-jitsu. This is MMA, it’s up to Malykhin, anything [can happen] in MMA.