Asadula Imangazaliev Responds To Joe Rogan's Praise Ahead Of March 20 Clash

The combat sports world has been watching Asadula Imangazaliev closely. Joe Rogan just made sure everyone else is watching too.

The 22-year-old Dagestani fighter has been turning heads across combat sports with a string of explosive performances in ONE Championship, and now the sport's most recognizable voice has added his stamp of approval.

On a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, the legendary podcaster and MMA commentator had this to say about the young Russian.

"There's this cat coming out of Dagestan right now who's like 22 years old, and he is f***** everybody up. A Dagestani Muay Thai fighter who's one of the most terrifying strikers alive right now. A lot of people think he's the best striker alive," Rogan said.

Imangazaliev steps into the main event of ONE Friday Fights 147 on March 20 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, where he challenges Muay Thai legend and former ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O for the vacant ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title.

The numbers behind Imangazaliev's rise tell their own story. Since making his ONE Friday Fights debut in 2024 and earning a six-figure main roster contract, the Team Mehdi Zatout product has gone 7-0 in ONE with six finishes.

Imangazaliev receives the praise with characteristic composure.

"I believe I haven't fully revealed my potential yet. I'm still a young fighter, and I'm happy that people are starting to notice my hard work. But I believe this is only the beginning," he said.

That sense of perspective becomes even more striking when set against the scale of the challenge he faces on March 20. Nong-O is not merely a former champion. The 39-year-old Thai is one of the greatest Muay Thai strikers in history.

Imangazaliev acknowledges the legend. He just refuses to be limited by it.

"In this fight, I want to show that I'm on a different level and that I deserve to be the champion. I respect him as a fighter and as a legend, but once the fight starts, I will be hunting him every second," he said.