Ali Nasir has named Eduard Aleksanyan as the opponent he wants in the SENSHI 33 Grand Prix final, but both men must first survive a three-fight run at 95 kg on September 5 in Varna, Bulgaria. Nasir meets Italy’s Ramon Quirini in the opening round, while Bulgaria’s Aleksanyan draws Romania’s Yuri Farcas.

Nasir is entering the eight-man tournament with a clear target. The German striker wants the trophy, and he has already picked out the final he would most like to reach.

“Eduard Aleksanyan in the final of the Grand Prix,” Nasir said when asked for his preferred opponent.

Ali Nasir eyes Eduard Aleksanyan clash at SENSHI 33 Grand Prix

It is an understandable but dangerous choice. Aleksanyan enters as the reigning SENSHI European champion at 90 kg, then moves up for a chance to add the 95 kg Grand Prix title. He will have home support at the beach arena at St. St. Constantine and Helena Resort, where SENSHI 33 is set to take place.

For now, though, the possible Nasir-Aleksanyan meeting is a long way from locked in. The Grand Prix starts with four qualification bouts, followed by the semifinals and final later on the same night. A third-place contest is also scheduled, meaning the eventual champion will need to manage recovery as well as the opponents in front of him.

Nasir’s first hurdle is Quirini, with the winner moving into the final four. The other first-round fixtures see Aleksanyan face Farcas, Portugal’s Iuri Fernandes take on Moldova’s Alexandru Burduja, and Tunisia’s Sharif Ben Mabrouk meet Turkey’s Emin Ozer.

Nasir has framed his threat in mental terms. He described his style as “relentless” and said his mindset is the strongest part of his game. He says he would rather finish a fight than leave the scorecards to decide the result, which could make the tournament format a natural fit if he can avoid taking too much damage early.

The German fighter began martial arts at 12 after drawing inspiration from “Ong-Bak,” Buakaw Banchamek and Badr Hari. He also wanted the confidence to defend himself while growing up. That early reason evolved into a career in striking competition, leading to his ISKA world-title win.

Nasir has said that belt carried extra weight because of a promise he made to his family 14 years earlier: that he would become a world champion. He says former trainer Samir Al Mansouri had a major influence on his development, particularly through hard pad-work sessions. Al Mansouri died in a motorcycle accident last year.

Outside the ring, Nasir describes himself as calm. He says combat sports have given him rather than taken from him, while his career goal is to be remembered as a dangerous fighter and, eventually, a legend. A SENSHI Grand Prix title would give that ambition another piece of evidence.

Aleksanyan has a different kind of pressure. He is the local representative in the main draw and already owns a SENSHI title at 90 kg. The jump to 95 kg creates a fresh test, and Farcas stands in the way of a possible semifinal before Nasir can become a real consideration.

SENSHI 33’s main tournament will be supported by two reserve fights: Mike Kena of the Democratic Republic of the Congo faces Argentina’s Pablo Molina, while Germany’s Agon Bellaqa meets Nigeria’s Dirrick Binnendijk. Reserve winners can be brought into the bracket if a main-draw fighter cannot continue. Molina arrives after winning his third KWU SENSHI World Cup for Amateurs title in July.

The card also includes three KWU Full Contact super fights. Greece’s Giannis Eminov faces Bulgaria’s Ognyan Mirchev at 70 kg after their planned 2025 fight was postponed. Spain’s Pedro Granjo meets Bulgarian SENSHI newcomer and reigning WKN European champion Simeon Nakovski at 70 kg, while 2025 WAKO world champion Danut Mihail of Spain takes on SENSHI 30 Grand Prix winner Zhulien Rikov at 75 kg.

You can watch the SENSHI 33 Grand Prix live and free worldwide on SENSHI’s YouTube channel and TrillerTV. Viewers in the United States and Canada can tune in via Swerve Combat, while fans in Bulgaria can watch on Bulgaria ON AIR, DIEMA, and Max Sport 1.