‘I Can Secure Knockout Or Submission’: India's Undefeated MMA Fighter Nazareth Vows To Make Country Proud

India's undefeated prospect Nazareth "The Northstar" Lalthazuala is set to take the biggest step of his career. He faces American veteran Gilbert Nakatani in a strawweight MMA co-main event at ONE Fight Night 47 on Saturday, September 5, marking his official main roster debut.

Lalthazuala has already made a strong impression through three appearances on ONE's weekly event series, ONE Friday Fights. The 25-year-old southpaw, representing Dojang MMA, holds a perfect 8-0 record with five finishes since beginning his MMA journey in 2021.

Now stepping onto the main card for the first time, Lalthazuala expressed genuine excitement about the opportunity while acknowledging the weight of representing his country on this bigger stage.

"I'm very excited about it. My opponent is very good as well, and I'm happy about the training. As an Indian fighter, I will try to live up to the expectation at its best. I will try my best," Lalthazuala said.

His ONE Championship tenure has been nothing short of spectacular, highlighted by a jaw-dropping 17-second demolition in his promotional debut. That momentum carried into a flawless 3-0 record, culminating in a TKO victory this past June that earned him a coveted US$100,000 main roster contract.

Standing across from him is the 32-year-old Nakatani, a wrestling-based competitor fighting out of Aragon Training Academy with nine career victories to his name. Lalthazuala has closely studied his opponent's defensive strengths ahead of their clash.

"My opponent is really good at defense, and he has a lot of strength, so I'm preparing my best to counter the defense. He has a lot of weakness too, but there's nothing to point out," he said.

Despite the challenge ahead, Lalthazuala remains confident in his physical advantages, believing his speed, strength, and conditioning will ultimately separate him from Nakatani over the course of the fight.

"I think my speed is better than his, and my strength and cardio are much better than his as well. I'm willing to fight all three rounds with him, but I also hope I can secure a knockout or a submission," Lalthazuala said.