Elliott targets heavyweight title shot in ONE Championship bout against Erdogan

Paul Elliott is set to challenge Shamil Erdogan at ONE Fight Night 48 on Friday, October 2, in a bout that could determine the next contender for the vacant ONE heavyweight MMA world title. The event, broadcast live on Sky Sports, sees the Middlesbrough-born fighter aiming to secure a pathway to the championship belt following the retirement of former titleholder Anatoly Malykhin.

Elliott enters the contest with an 8-2 record, having secured all eight victories by knockout. His recent form includes a six-second stoppage of Regan Upshaw in June, which tied the fastest knockout in ONE history. However, Elliott has acknowledged that his opponent, Shamil Erdogan, is likely to adopt a more defensive strategy to avoid a similar early exit. The 34-year-old described the upcoming match as a potential 'chess match', noting Erdogan’s technical soundness and resilience.

Erdogan, who is two years older than Elliott, was born in Russia but currently represents Turkey. Elliott anticipates a tightly contested fight that may extend beyond the first round, predicting a decisive finish before the final bell. He expressed confidence that the victor of this encounter will be awarded a title shot, identifying Canadian fighter Ben Tynan as the primary candidate for the vacant heavyweight championship.

The Middlesbrough fighter described the prospect of winning a world title as 'life-changing', noting that his current tenure with ONE Championship has significantly elevated his profile within the sport. He emphasised that achieving world champion status would represent the pinnacle of his career, marking a historic achievement distinct from his previous successes.

The October 2 card also features a Muay Thai bout between Luke Lessei and Charlie Guest, with the winner potentially challenging for the ONE featherweight Muay Thai title held by Nico Carrillo. Guest, an English fighter with a 38-15 record, made his ONE debut in June with a second-round TKO victory. American Lessei, holding a 9-3 record, arrives at the event following a win in July against Mohamed Younes Rabah.