Magomedov Banks On Wrestling To Beat Gabriel At ONE 49

Magomed Magomedov stepped in two weeks before fight night and already knows where he wants the bout to go. The unbeaten lightweight believes his wrestling will be the difference maker when he faces Lucas Gabriel in the ONE Fight Night 49 headliner on November 6.

The Dagestani fighter carries a perfect 15-0 record into his promotional debut, having finished his last five opponents. BJPenn.com reports that Magomedov replaced Alibeg Rasulov after the original headliner withdrew with an injury. Gabriel has won all five of his ONE appearances, including a submission of Gadzhimurad Amirzhanov and decision victories against Magomed Akaev and Ok Rae Yoon. The Brazilian holds a black belt in jiu-jitsu and mixes his grappling threat with solid standup.

Pressure And Mat Control Key To Magomedov's Strategy

Magomedov studied tape and identified where his path to victory lies. "I believe my main advantages could be constant pressure and wrestling," he told BJPenn.com. The KHK Dagestan product holds a Master of Sport ranking and plans to dictate tempo from the opening bell.

Christian Lee defends his lightweight strap against Tye Ruotolo one day earlier at The Inner Circle 37. Lee last fought Rasulov, the man who was originally slated for this main event. A statement win over Gabriel would vault Magomedov into immediate title conversations despite the limited preparation time.

The card broadcasts live from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok during U.S. primetime hours on Prime Video. Magomedov said he expects tough resistance but remains locked in on executing his game plan Friday night.

Reported via:

• BJPenn — Magomed Magomedov targets wrestling edge over Lucas Gabriel in main event debut at ONE Fight Night 49