Heavy-handed Mark Abelardo welcomes undefeated Dagestani Ibragim Dauev at ONE Fight Night 18

In-form Filipino-Kiwi fighter Mark Abelardo returns to action next week at ONE Championship’s first event of the new year in Bangkok, Thailand.

The 32-year-old martial artist will go up against the debuting Ibragim Dauev of Russia in a bantamweight MMA clash at ONE Fight Night 18 on January 12 at the famed Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.

Mark Abelardo is seeking to build on his two impressive victories last year, which he both won by TKO finishes in the second round. He first defeated Armenian Taron Grigorian (knees) in May, a result he followed up with another impressive victory over Russian Georgy Shahruramazanov (ground and pound) in October.

The victories got the ONE Warrior Series product back to a steady path after going through a rough patch in his ONE campaign previously.

Abelardo, who trains at Fairtex Training Center, made his promotional debut in February 2019, winning by submission in the third round over Japanese Daichi Takenaka.

Out to spoil his winning run is 22-year-old Dagestani native Dauev, who boasts of an undefeated 8-0 record on the Russian regional circuit, with seven of his victories coming by way of finishes.

He is looking to make it a winning ONE debut, banking on his crack submission game and power.

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WATCH: Mark Abelardo rallies back to stun Russian Shahruramazanov in last fight

Mark Abelardo was impressive in his last fight in October as he rallied back to defeat Russian Georgy Shahruramazanov by TKO in the second round.

Prior to fashioning out the finish, the 32-year-old Filipino-Kiwi had to endure two knockdowns. The first came in the opening round when he was clipped by his taller opponent with a spinning back kick to the head. Early in the second round, he once again fell from the same kick.

Abelardo, however, turned things around after, connecting on a left hook once he got his bearing back that sent the Russian down to the mat.

Sensing he hurt Shahruramazanov, he immediately moved in and rained punches to his opponent, who could not defend himself from the strikes, prompting the referee to call a stop to the fight at the 4:43 mark of the second frame.

Following the victory, Mark Abelardo expressed pride in coming up with the win, sharing in the post-fight interview:

"I’m at a loss of words, but I believed in myself. When I got dropped twice, my teammates just told me to keep weathering the storm, that's what I did."

Mark Abelardo returns to action on January 12 at ONE Fight Night 18, taking on Russian Ibragim Dauev of Russia in a bantamweight MMA clash.