ONE World Champion Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu Has a Secret Plan for his Challenger at The Inner Circle 24

The 37-year-old Mongolian makes his first title defense against undefeated Azerbaijani-Russian standout Elbek Alyshov in the main event of The Inner Circle 24 on Friday, July 31. It streams live from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on live.onefc.com.

Baatarkhuu claimed the ONE Bantamweight MMA World Title last December by submitting Fabricio Andrade, becoming the second Mongolian to win ONE World Title gold after his mentor Narantungalag Jadambaa several years earlier.

The Khovd native, who once worked in mines before MMA took him to the global stage and who appeared on Netflix's Physical: Asia show, has studied Alyshov carefully and found both strengths and weaknesses he intends to exploit on July 31.

Baatarkhuu Promises to Reveal the Secret at The Inner Circle 24

Preparing for Alyshov at The Inner Circle 24 demanded a different camp from the one that produced the Andrade submission. The champion, who grew up herding animals, has been specific about how the nature of the new challenge changed his preparation, while keeping the most important detail firmly under wraps.

"During my fight with Fabricio, I was a little bit mindful about his striking. This time, my opponent is a grappler. In terms of the actual training routine, it's the same for me every day. But because he is more of a grappler, we changed things a little bit. I'll keep that a secret, and I'm ready to reveal it in the ring," Baatarkhuu said.

Baatarkhuu’s 7-1 ONE record includes five finishes, and the submission expertise that produced the championship win now faces its sternest test yet. He meets a challenger who has competed in over 400 judo and sambo tournaments and submitted both of his ONE opponents without taking the fight to the final bell.

The Mongolian Champion Has Spotted Alyshov's Weakness

The champion has done more than change his training routine for his match at The Inner Circle 24. He has identified a specific vulnerability in Alyshov's game that he intends to target, and his decision to keep it private is a deliberate piece of competitive chess ahead of the main event.

"Elbek Alyshov is obviously a strong opponent. But of course, he has some weaknesses as well. I have noticed it. Every fighter, even World Champions, has weaknesses. But I can't reveal that now because he might work on it. I will find that weak spot and use it against him," he explained.

Alyshov's 10-0 career record and 2-0 ONE mark have been built in a relatively short promotional run, giving Baatarkhuu's scouting team a limited sample of footage to work with. The titleholder’s conviction that he has already found a crack in the unbeaten challenger's armor is a significant piece of pre-fight psychology.

Baatarkhuu Respects Alyshov, Insists the Challenger Is Not the Final Boss

For all the preparation and adjustments, Baatarkhuu has maintained a perspective on this title defense that keeps the fight in its proper context. The champion acknowledges the new challenge Alyshov presents while making clear his ambitions extend well beyond July 31.

"He's not the final boss. I'm going to face even stronger opponents in the future. This is just what I do every day. But I admit, my opponent offers me a new style to figure out. I have never faced an opponent of his skill before," he said.

Baatarkhuu's 14-3 career record with nine finishes tells the story of a fighter who has solved a wide variety of problems across a long professional career. At The Inner Circle 24, the world will find out if his secret plan is the solution to the toughest submission grappler he has ever faced.

Watch The Inner Circle 24 exclusively on live.onefc.com beginning at 7:30 a.m. ET/4:30 a.m. PT.