ONE Fight Night 11: 3 Keys To Victory For Ilya Freymanov

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With a potential shot at the ONE Featherweight World Title hanging in the balance at ONE Fight Night 11, Ilya Freymanov will look for another dominant MMA display when he returns to action this Saturday, 10 June, in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Russian talent skyrocketed into the division's top-three after he toppled former two-weight ONE World Champion Martin Nguyen last October at ONE on Prime Video 2.

Now he has the chance to solidify his position when he meets fellow surging star Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg this weekend at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium. It's an important contest with much on the line for both competitors, more specifically for the Russian.

Three keys to victory for Freymanov at ONE Fight Night 11

1. His Wrestling Will Be Key: Freymanov may have showcased his superb striking in his promotional debut win against Nguyen last October, but he may have to adjust his tactics in his colossal matchup this weekend.

Much like his Mongolian opponent, the Russian is very comfortable on the feet. But Zoltsetseg is much more comfortable brawling than Freymanov is. So, Freymanov would be wise to fight smart, control the bout, and out-wrestle his challenger.

Zoltsetseg has displayed brutal ground-and-pound in his career, so a controlled ground performance that chips away at the endurance of Zoltsetseg will be the path of least resistance en route to ONE Featherweight World Title hopes.

2. He Has To Anticipate Zoltsetseg's Unorthodox Style: ONE fans are familiar with Zoltsetseg's style, a style in which the 26-year-old taunts his opponents as much as he can, hoping to bait them into making pivotal errors. Against Freymanov, Zoltsetseg will do the same.

Freymanov would be wise to keep his cool when this happens. Keeping his composure against a wild adversary like Zoltsetseg will falter the latter's game plan. But with four finishes in six victories, the Russian must remain on his toes for any sudden attacks from the Mongolian monster.

3. He Must Avoid A Firefight: While both men are comfortable on the feet, Freymanov must avoid a firefight with Zoltsetseg. The #3-ranked featherweight is the much more technical striker of the two, but he can't be baited into a slugfest with the returning prospect.

Freymanov should remain tactical with his combinations, pick his entries and exits wisely, and attempt to pick off Zoltsetseg en route to his second promotional win that could certainly see him granted a World Title shot in the near future.