Aaron Canarte enjoyed being an undefeated fighter. But after suffering the first blemish on his record last summer, "Tommy Gun" went soul searching, and now he's ready to make good on a second chance at a first impression.
Canarte meets #5-ranked featherweight MMA star Shamil Gasanov at ONE Fight Night 24: Brooks vs. Balart this Saturday, 3 August, inside Bangkok, Thailand's Lumpinee Stadium where he'll look to disrupt the division's elite and book a place in the top-five.

Going unbeaten in combat sports comes with plenty of notoriety. But the more you win, the more it becomes about keeping the record itself. As far as Canarte sees it, getting rid of that hype has taken weight off of his shoulders and put more attention on defeating Gasanov.
"Now that my perfect record is gone, I know how it feels to lose and feel like I have less pressure on me," he said.
"I think this fight will be different because I have a lot of confidence in myself, and I'm going to come forward. I'm bringing my all against Shamil Gasanov and winning this fight."
When Canarte signed with ONE Championship, his ultimate goal was to become the featherweight MMA king. That dream still remains. So ONE Fight Night 24 will be all about reintroducing himself to the fold.
With the pressure of losing gone, the 27-year-old enters this weekend's clash against Gasanov like a wounded animal feeling dangerous. And while Gasanov is a reputable finisher, "Tommy Gunn" looks to turn the tide and stop the Russian within the distance.
"I don't have anything to lose. I'm fighting someone who's ranked, which means that I have a lot to win but not much to lose," Canarte said.
"I'm focused, and I have a lot of confidence this time around. I've worked hard, and I'm going into this fight with a lot of confidence in my ability. I see myself knocking him out or submitting him."