Artem Belakh plans to rely on his “versatility as a fighter” to combat Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu’s aggression

Artem Belakh named three reasons why he will emerge victorious against Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu later this week.

ONE Championship looks to start its 2024 calendar year with a bang by showcasing an Amazon Prime Video event, ONE Fight Night 18, on Friday, January 12. The US fight card doesn’t feature a world title matchup, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t several intriguing bouts.

ONE Fight Night 18 has three bantamweight MMA fights, including an intriguing matchup between Belakh and Baatarkhuu. The Russian bantamweight contender is coming off a devastating loss against top contender Kwon Won Il, while his Mongolian opponent is 3-0 under the ONE banner.

During an interview with ONE, Belakh had this to say about why he believes his hand will get raised on Friday:

“My versatility as a fighter, my meticulous approach to training, and also the great joy of being able to come back.”

ONE Fight Night 18 will air live on US Primetime free of charge for existing Prime Video subscribers in North America.

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Artem Belakh was preparing for Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu before being offered the matchup at ONE Fight Night 18

Artem Belakh had world title expectations following an impressive ONE debut, where he secured a unanimous decision win against Leandro Issa. Now that he’s suffered his first promotional defeat, Belakh is extra motivated to silence the doubters and get back on track.

During an interview with ONE, the 27-year-old Russian had this to say about being prepared to fight Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu before signing the contract:

“I had seen his fights even before we signed the contract and basically, I thought he could be a potential opponent. Generally, I watch each and every fighter in my weight class.”

It won’t be easy for Artem Belakh to leave ONE Fight Night 18 with a win. Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu made a name for himself by winning the Road to ONE Mongolia series.

Since then, he’s put the division on notice with three consecutive wins, including an impressive second-round submission against Jhanlo Mark Sangiao in August 2023.