Dubai: Iranian Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Kamal Shalorus has just one thing on his mind going into this weekend’s One FC’s ‘Reign of Champions’ at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).

“Aoki, be ready. I am coming after you,” is Shalorus’s terse warning to his Japanese opponent Shinya Aoki, just days before his Lightweight showdown on August 29.

This Friday’s ‘Reign of Champions’ will witness three world championship bouts and six undercards with three Japanese champions — Shinya Aoki, Nobutatsu Suzuki and Koji Oishi — defending their lightweight, welterweight and featherweight world championship belts.

“My dream is to be the world champion and I know that only Shinya stands in the way. So I have to just go out there and win and be the new champion in my weight category,” Shalorus added.

The Iranian fighter has an interesting background. Hailing from the northern border of Iran close to Azerbaijan and Russia, Shalorus spent his formative years lacking modern facilities and infrastructure while his family etched out a living herding sheep.

But Shalorus was good in wrestling during his school days and that earned him a place in the Iran junior national team. That was the platform Shalorus needed as the Turkey national team took him as a sparring partner opening out a whole new world.

“Honestly, I am ready for him. I was born ready for this day. I have trained hard. I have studied his [Aoki] fights. On August 29, that belt is going to be mine,” the Iranian promised.

Since it’s a title bout, the fight will be held over five rounds of five minutes each. And with both fighters evenly matched, Shalorus is convinced that the ultimate outcome will depend on the smaller things. “It can be decided in the first round or it may go all the way. But one small mistake from either of us and the winner will be known,” Shalorus said.

He has made a thorough study on his opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. “No doubt he is a champion. But I’m prepared for anything. If he goes to the ground then I know how to deal with him. If he switches to kick boxing then I am ready for that too,” he said.

After his initial entry into the world of MMA in the UK, Shalorus moved to the USA. At the end of 2009, he won the welterweight title in the Supreme Warrior Challenge thus making his way into the World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC).

In WEC, he did not have the best of experiences as he went on a three-fight losing streak from early 2011 to mid-2012. Jim Miller handed him his first loss, followed by Khabib Nurmagomedov and then Rafael dos Anjos, thereby forcing him to be released by the promotion.

After his release, ‘The Prince of Persia’ signed with One FC, winning via unanimous decision during his promotional debut against Eduard Folayang in May 2013. He followed this up with another unanimous decision win against Ariel Sexton in March this year. “But this one against Shinya is going to be special and I want to walk away with the title. That belt is mine,” Shalorus said.