Rivalries: Marat Gafurov

Some observers now openly wonder how much Marat Gafurov has left in the tank.

The former M-1 Global and One Championship titleholder will seek to reclaim his position of prominence when he toes the line against Ariel Sexton as part of the One 159 undercard on July 22 at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore. Gafurov, 37, has alternated wins and losses in each of his past seven assignments. He last appeared on April 7, 2021, when he wound up on the wrong side of a unanimous verdict against Rae Yoon Ok at One on TNT 3.

As Gafurov prepares for his first outing in more than a year, a look at some of the rivalries that have helped shape his career to this point:

Lee Morrison

Gafurov retained the undisputed M-1 Global featherweight crown with a five-round unanimous decision over the well-traveled American in the M-1 Challenge 47 co-feature on April 4, 2014 at Orenburzhye Sport Hall in Orenburg, Russia. Neither man seemed willing to back down in what turned into a classic back-and-forth struggle between proud champion and ambitious challenger. Morrison’s hyperactive submission game gave the Russian fits throughout the 25-minute encounter, as he fished for various chokes, a kneebar and other assorted leglocks. Gafurov was wise to his efforts, remained calm under considerable duress and waited for fatigue to take some starch out of the King of the Cage alum’s attacks. He seized the reins in the fourth and fifth rounds, where he leaned on a merciless clinch, takedowns and ground-and-pound to clear his latest hurdle with room to spare.

Narantungalag Jadambaa

Gafurov tightened his figurative stranglehold on the One Championship featherweight throne when he put “Tungaa” to sleep with a rear-naked choke in the first round of their One “Defending Honor” rematch on Nov. 11, 2016 at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore. Jadambaa lost his grip on reality 4:51 into Round 1. Gafurov—who had needed four-plus rounds to submit the Mongolian star in their first meeting a little less than a year earlier—weathered heavy leg kicks and a few overhand rights on the feet, then capitalized on a brief moment of weakness when Jadambaa slipped and wound up underneath the undefeated champion. Gafurov calmly worked to the back, set his hooks and nearly cinched the choke. Jadambaa freed himself but only prolonged the inevitable. Gafurov advanced to mount with roughly 90 seconds to go, moved to side control and returned to mount, dropping hammerfists, elbows and punches. Jadambaa surrendered his back once again, giving up the fight-ending choke in the closing seconds of the first round.

Martin Nguyen

“The Situ-Asian” completed his unlikely climb to the top of the mountain when he knocked out the previously unbeaten Gafurov to capture the One Championship featherweight title in the One “Quest for Greatness” headliner on Aug. 18, 2017 at Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Dethroned in dramatic fashion, an unconscious Gafurov hit the deck 1:27 into Round 2. Nguyen fought through some initial adversity to avenge the only loss of his career: a 41-second submission defeat to the Russian in 2015. Gafurov struck for multiple takedowns in the first round, but his search for a fight-ending choke came up empty. Early in the second, Nguyen separated from the clinch-minded grappler and connected with a devastating overhand right. Gafurov fell face first to the canvas, bringing their rematch to a shocking conclusion while evening their head-to-head series at 1-1.

Iuri Lapicus

The Italy-based Moldovan pulled the proverbial rug out from under Gafurov with a stunning rear-naked choke submission in the first round of their One “Warriors Code” lightweight showcase on Feb. 7, 2020 at Istora Senayan in Jakarta, Indonesia. Lapicus drew the curtain 67 seconds into Round 1. Gafurov never got out of the gate, his tentative approach marked by uncertainty. Lapicus tested the water with powerful leg kicks, swarmed with punches, cut off an attempted takedown and dumped the shellshocked Russian to the floor out of the clinch. He immediately transitioned to Gafurov’s back, secured his position with hooks and cinched the choke. His squeeze did the rest. Gafurov tapped feebly and lost consciousness before referee Kemp Chang could rescue him. It remains the only submission defeat on his resume.