Undefeated sensation Akbar Abdullaev delivered one other show-stealing efficiency at ONE Battle Evening 27 on Friday.
After scoring a trio of highlight-reel knockouts in his first three promotional appearances, Abdullaev was handed the chance to face reigning ONE featherweight MMA world champion Tang Kai within the promotion’s first important occasion of 2025. For sure, Abdullaev’s efficiency didn’t disappoint.
For almost 5 full rounds, Abdullaev completely dominated Tang Kai like no different fighter ever has. Taking the Chinese language star down at will, ‘Bakal’ sapped Tang’s vitality and stifled his offense at each flip.
After 4 brutal rounds of motion, referee Herb Dean had lastly seen sufficient within the fifth after Abdullaev rapidly took Tang all the way down to the mat and peppered him with a bevy of brutal elbow strikes and quick photographs.
81 seconds into the spherical and that was all she wrote.
Official End result: Akbar Abdullaev def. Tang Kai through TKO (ground-and-pound) at 1:21 of Spherical 5.
Whereas Abdullaev stored his ‘O’ intact, he left the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand with out a world title and ineligible to financial institution a $50,000 efficiency bonus from ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong because of the weight miss.
Try highlights from Tang Kai vs. Akbar Abdullaev at ONE Battle Evening 27:
Fifth spherical TKO for Akbar Abdullaev towards Tang Kai.
Completely dominant after the primary spherical and had his approach with the champion in every single place.
He will likely be kicking himself for lacking weight. In any other case we’d be saying “and new”.#ONEFightNight27 pic.twitter.com/pYNOYsE8tr
— Nick Atkin (@nicatkinONE) January 11, 2025
