Geje Eustaquio ready to put things right in Akhmetov rematch

ONE Championship star Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio has revenge on his mind and a world title in his sights.

The Filipino striking specialist will take on former foe Kairat “The Kazakh” Akhmetov for the ONE Interim Flyweight World Title in the main event of ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES in Manila on 26 January.

As well as being a bout for a world title, it’s also a rematch of their bout last September, when “The Kazakh” earned the win via split decision.

“It was a learning experience for me, the first time I met Kairat,” said the 28-year-old.

“I knew going into the match that it would be one of the biggest challenges of my career, given that he is a former world champion. Honestly, I was a little flustered. I thought I could have pushed the pace more, and maybe forced him to defend my strikes.

“I lost focus of the game plan, and allowed myself to operate at Akhmetov’s pace instead of dictating the action on the feet. I also could have had better takedown defense. I would have loved to have won, but it is what it is.”

Eustaquio’s slick striking style has served him well so far in his martial arts career, which has seen him take on - and beat - some of the best martial artists in in the world.

Kentaro Watanabe, Gianni Subba, Anatpong Bunrad, and reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion Alex Silva have all ended up on the losing side against Eustaquio, and now “Gravity” plans on adding another world-class name to that list.

However, losses to reigning ONE Flyweight Champion Adriano Moraes and Akhmatov highlighted a gap in his skill set that needed addressing - and he’s been investing significant training time working hard to address it.

“One of the aspects of my game I am working very hard on is my takedown defence,” he explained.

“Every day, we drill very hard in training. We all work to improve our ground game and takedown defence, so we can better showcase our wushu. After every bout, I aim to get better, win or lose. Every bout is a learning experience.”

Akhmetov presents as tough a challenge as he could face outside of a rematch with Moraes. The 30-year-old has lost just once in his career, and is on a mission of his own to reclaim the title he lost to the Brazilian last year.

Eustaquio’s performance in their last meeting showed enough to the Filipino star that he’s only a few adjustments away from claiming a huge victory when they meet on 26 January.

“Kairat is a tricky opponent. After three rounds with him, I have gotten to know him a little better. I am able to understand what makes him a great martial artist,” he explained.

“The thing is, his ground game is both a strength and a weakness. He relies heavily on his wrestling and grappling, so if I can somehow take him out of his element, I would find better success.”

Eustaquio knows that he’ll have to not only outmanoeuvre Akhmetov, he’ll have to match “The Kazakh” for grit and determination. Indeed, it’s something “Gravity” took time to pay tribute to ahead of their upcoming bout.

“One thing you cannot knock Kairat for, though, is that he has a big heart,” offered Eustaquio.

“Kazakhstani martial artists have big hearts, and lots of pride. They do not go down easily, and are very tough. I am expecting another difficult bout. That is why I am preparing very well.

“A victory over Kairat would land me a rematch against Adriano. I believe I have what it takes to become the undisputed ONE Flyweight World Champion.”