Ayub Gimbatov participates in FIGHT NIGHTS GLOBAL 64, a tournament taking place at VTB Ice Palace, April 24, Moscow. He told us about his feelings towards his rival Dauren Ermekov from Kazakhstan and about his urge to become the champion.
“I watched my fellow countryman Rashid Abdurakhmanov going in the cage with Dauren Ermekov, off course I supported Rashid. It’s a shame he lost. I remember that January I wanted to ask Kamil Gadzhiev to hook me up a fight with Dauren…But I didn’t have to ask him, Kamil offered me this fight himself. I am very respectful towards my opponent, towards Kazakh people. I like the way they support their fighters. It is not like I’m revengeful, it’s sport, we are enemies in the ring but brothers outside of it.
Dauren is a deliberate fighter, his stand is somewhat crooked, you never know where the punch will come from. I guess that makes him dangerous. I am 100% ready, striking or grappling, doesn’t matter. I think the one who did more technique training is the one who wins. After the Ermekov fight I would like to fight some top foreign fighter. Every fighter wants to fight for the belt, I am no exception. But if the belt is in hands of Abusupyan Alikhanov or Khalid Murtazaliev, I wouldn’t go into the Octagon against them. They are my close friends…”
