Ahmad, 30, had a successful ONE FC debut against Thailand’s Shannon “One Shin” Wiratchai at ONE FC 8: Kings & Champions, scooping all of the judges’ score cards with a Unanimous Decision victory.
Wiratchai, though, had his moments. Towards the end of the first frame, he found himself in top position, and started raining down some heavy blows which opened up a deep cut just over Ahmad’s right eye. As a result, the Pakistani was forced to fight through the remaining ten minutes with pain and blood trickling down his cheeks, thus affecting his game plan – takedowns.
Bashir Ahmad will be in for a tougher outing against Bruno Pucci at ONE FC 10
“When I was on top in half-guard, I felt that I had a better ground game than this guy, ” Bashir said, in a post-fight interview with MMASucka.com. “The cut kinda made me a little more hesitant on the ground. I would have liked to play on the bottom a bit more but he kept opening the cut up – you know, he was trying to win.”
But as Bashir Ahmad (2-0) prepares for his upcoming ONE FC 10 bout in Jakarta, Indonesia, he may have to re-think his strategy this time around. The 30-year-old is set to welcome Evolve MMA’s Bruno Pucci in the event’s main card. Interestingly, parallels can be drawn between both fighters – they share a 2-0 record, and their love for the grappling aspect of Mixed Martial Arts is known.
Unlike Shannon Wiratchai, however, Pucci isn’t competent on the canvas. He’s world class. Along with a bronze medal at the BJJ Mundials, he has won numerous regional and national titles in Brazil. This, on many levels, makes Pucci Ahmad’s toughest opponent to date.
While the Brazilian garners a huge pedigree in grappling, it would be fair to question his striking abilities. It’s only natural for any fight fan. Perhaps now, he’s gotten better. We’ve seen the evolution of Pucci’s team mate, Zorobabel Moreira – a BJJ grappler turned MMA fighter. Therefore, there won’t be any doubts that Pucci’s been working with numerous Muay Thai world champions at the Evolve gym to improve his all-round MMA facet. And on September 13th, we will finally see what Pucci will truly bring to the ONE FC roster.
Ahmad, in the meantime, may not be a 1st degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt but rest assured, he knows how to handle business on the ground. Besides, the Pakistani showcased some great striking prowess in his ONE FC debut against Wiratchai, throwing kicks that basically echoed through the roof of the Singapore Indoor Stadium. So will Ahmad feel the need to go for a takedown against Pucci? Maybe not.
Whatever it is, this fight will be one to keep an eye out for. One of them will walk out of the ONE FC cage with the first setback of their careers.
Fans in Asia can catch ONE FC 10: Champions & Warriors LIVE on STAR Sports. Fans from around the world can witness the action online via LIVE streaming at www.onefc.livesport.tv. The main card fights will be available for purchase at just US$9.99, following free prelims on YouTube. Click here to check out the full fight card.
*Pictured: Bashir Ahmad, Shannon Wiratchai (Credit – ONE Fighting Championship)
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