Asadula Imangazaliev Called Kiamran Nabati His Idol: The Story Behind ONE Championship's Most Unlikely Mentorship
Kiamran Nabati has opened up about his bond with newly crowned ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Asadula Imangazaliev, a connection that dates back to their shared training years in Russia.
The 31-year-old returns to the ring against Thai sensation Nontachai Jitmuangnon in the bantamweight Muay Thai main event of The Inner Circle 31 on Friday, September 18, live from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Fans can stream it exclusively on live.onefc.com.
Nontachai, 27, from Jitmuangnon Gym, carries a 53-22 career record and a 6-1 ONE Championship mark into the main event, arriving on a three-fight winning streak that has made him one of the division's most consistent performers.
Nabati Trained with Imangazaliev for Three Years
The story behind Nabati and Imangazaliev's bond is as unexpected as it is compelling. For three years, the two Russian strikers shared a training environment, and the admiration flowing between them was entirely one-directional, with Nabati completely unaware of the role he was playing in the younger fighter's development.
"From 2019 to 2022, we stayed together. He was my sparring partner. He was a young guy, but we were training together a lot. Later on, he told people that I was his idol back then. But in those days, I had absolutely no idea," Nabati recalled.
Nabati's 22-1 career record were built during those years, and the example he set in training during that period quietly shaped a fighter who would go on to become a ONE World Champion.
Nabati Is Proud That Imangazaliev Credits Him for Paving the Way in ONE Championship
The knowledge of what those training years meant to Imangazaliev has landed with genuine meaning for the Russian veteran. Seeing a former sparring partner reach the top of the ONE Championship and then publicly acknowledge the role you played is a form of recognition that no achievement can replicate.
"Now we are both in ONE Championship, and now he's number one in the world. Looking back, I was so happy that this guy wanted to be stronger and wanted to be like me. He told me that I helped pave the way for him in ONE Championship," he explained.
Imangazaliev claimed the vacant ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Championship in a historic battle of undefeated fighters. His 9-0 ONE Championship record and 12-0 career slate reflects the work of a champion who has been building toward this moment for years. Even Joe Rogan has called him one of his favorite fighters. What few people knew until now is that Nabati was part of the foundation.
Nabati Never Planned to Be a Role Model, Now Understands the Responsibility
The bond with Imangazaliev has also prompted Nabati to reflect more broadly on the influence experienced fighters carry, and the obligations that come with it. The Russian has arrived at a perspective on mentorship that was not part of his thinking in the years he shared a gym with his younger compatriot.
"I never thought about becoming a role model. I was just focusing on myself in the past. But now that I'm older and have experience in this sport, I understand that I have to give back to the children. It's a privilege and an honor," he said.
Nabati’s opponent Nontachai's three-fight winning streak makes him a formidable opponent for a fighter returning from his first career defeat, but the Russian knockout artist arrives at The Inner Circle 31 with a story behind him that adds personal weight to what is already a significant professional moment.
Watch The Inner Circle 31 exclusively on live.onefc.com beginning at 7:30 a.m. ET/4:30 a.m. PT.
