Somebody’s “O” had to go when featherweight MMA stars Akbar Abdullaev and Halil Amir met this past weekend at ONE Fight Night 22, and it was the former who stayed undefeated in devastating style.
Abdullaev turned his Turkish foe’s lights out with a left hook midway through the second round of their encounter inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, this past Saturday, 4th May.
With the win, the Kyrgz star now has 10 knockouts in 11 fights, but getting to showcase his ground game en route to his latest knockout was what he was most proud of post-fight.
“When it comes to my wrestling, many people say they were surprised, but you guys need to understand, since childhood, I was wrestling. If you Google Kyrgyzstan, we have one of the best teams in the world,” Abdullaev said.
“Wrestling is pretty big in Kyrgyzstan. And I [have been] wrestling since childhood. But, MMA, it's not just hugging and takedowns and just staying on the floor. It's all about [putting on] a good show. It's all about strikes. It's all about throwing punches and kicks as well. So, of course, I was trying to show everyone that I can do everything.”
Since arriving in ONE Championship last March, the 26-year-old has racked up three wins in as many fights, with knockouts coming against Oh Ho Taek, Aaron Canarte, and now Amir, and the latest being the only bout to go past the opening frame.
Abdullaev should now be firmly placed in the World Title conversation, and he’s already sizing divisional king Tang Kai up for a future showdown.
“I’m not going to do anything new. It’s going to be the same strategy because he [Tang] is also really strong [in the standup]. He’s a pretty good striker. I’m pretty sure we’re going to do the same things we do well. We’re going to be striking, but at the same time, we’re going to do wrestling, too,” the undefeated star said.
“I’m going to win. At the same time, I’m pretty confident of my skills. I’m pretty confident about all my weapons, and I’m going to use it, and I’m going to win.”
