Joe Rogan knows an elite striker when he sees one after backing Asadula Imangazaliev.
Rogan quit fighting at 22 years old after competing in Taekwondo before going on to be the UFC’s long-time color commentator.
For years, Rogan has tried to convince Dana White to get into an all-striking sport like kickboxing or Muay Thai due to how entertaining it is.
The veteran stand-up comedian and podcaster has become particularly infatuated with one rising star in particular, who secured his biggest win to date on March 20.
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Asadula Imangazaliev stops Nong-O days after Joe Rogan’s praise
In recent times, ONE Championship has lost some of its biggest MMA names, with Adriano Moraes being the latest to part ways with the promotion.
ONE has always prided itself on being the home of martial arts, and while it still offers up various disciplines under one roof, its kickboxing and Muay Thai divisions have clearly become its main focus.
At the center of that right now is Asadula Imangazaliev, who extended his win streak to eight in the promotion by stopping Nong-O Hama on March 20.
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Instant SLEEP Asadula Imangazaliev KOs the legendary Nong-O to improve to 12-0!Watch the full #ONEFridayFights147 event replay: Available on ONE YouTube and ONE Facebook (geo-restrictions may apply) on https://t.co/eBUfsOlZOd (geo-restrictions may apply) pic.twitter.com/gJ4FKtXrw2— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) March 20, 2026
The Russian phenom has already produced huge finishes against the likes of Kongthoranee and Panpayak to announce himself as a serious threat.
At ONE Friday Fights 147, he put away a legendary former champion but unfortunately, due to missing weight ahead of the fight, he was ineligible to win the vacant flyweight Muay Thai title that was on the line.
Joe Rogan spoke highly of Imangazaliev during a recent podcast episode, having shown the young contender’s highlights to several of his guests.
“This kid is 22 years old and he’s knocking out like multiple time world Thai champions,” he said on the JRE MMA Show. “Bro, this dude is a freak. I mean he’s just putting people into the shadow realm every fight… This cat is special, man.”