Bigdash out, Shemetov in at ONE: KINGS OF COURAGE
Former ONE Middleweight World Championship Vitaly Bigdash is out of ONE: KINGS OF COURAGE.
The Russian middleweight star, who held the ONE Middleweight World Title from October 2015 to June 2017, was all set to face former world title challenger Leandro Ataides in Jakarta on Saturday 20 January.
However, Bigdash sustained an injury in the build-up to the bout, forcing him out of the event and leaving Ataides without an opponent during event week.
Thankfully, ONE executives moved swiftly to plug the gap, and have drafted in alternative Russian opposition for the Brazilian in the form of Vitalii Shemetov, who steps in to make his ONE Championship debut on short notice.
Shemetov is known as “The Dancing Russian” and has a professional record of 28-9 (1 NC) with 18 of those wins coming inside the distance. He hasn’t lost a bout since 2010 and is riding a remarkable 11-bout undefeated run. His most recent bout ended in a no contest after an accidental clash of heads.
The 32-year-old trains out of the Shembros Academy and, after a career spent competing across Europe and Asia, has been handed a golden chance to gatecrash the middleweight title picture in ONE Championship.
Victory over BJJ black belt Ataides on his promotional debut could potentially catapult Shemetov into championship contention, and the last-gasp change of matchup will undoubtedly pose a test of the Brazilian’s own championship credentials.
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