The biggest martial arts organisation in the world, ONE Championship, hosted a media day at Blueprint Martial Arts Gym in Kuala Lumpur featuring local MMA superstar Agilan “Alligator: Thani. Prior to Thani’s match against Germany’s Ilja Stojanov on Saturday, October 22 at Axiata Arena during ONE on Prime Video 3, the event provided reporters with a chance to connect and get close and personal with Thani (Pro MMA Record: 7-0-1).
Thani (Pro MMA Record: 10-7-0) stated: “I have been doing this for as long as I can remember, and whether I win or lose, performance is always the key. That is what I have learned over the years, and I will once again be looking for a solid performance on my end.”
Thani’s most recent fight was at ONE 156 where he lost to Tae Ho Jin via submission this past April.
After becoming a professional, Thani, who was unbeaten as an amateur, won six consecutive fights on the international arena of the ONE Championship to qualify for a shot at the Welterweight World Championship.
The Malaysian MMA star’s most significant accomplishments, however, have occurred outside of the cage. Thani struggled with obesity as a child, weighing nearly 140kg at one point. As a result of the constant bullying, he sought martial arts training in order to lose weight and learn how to defend himself. This proved to be a life-changing decision, as he lost 55kg in a year by training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and other disciplines, transforming himself from an overweight adolescent to an elite athlete.