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Rising star Abdulla Dayakaev is out to disrupt the pecking order in the stacked ONE bantamweight Muay Thai division.
The Russian heavy-hitter erupted with a statement-making performance at ONE Fight Night 31 last May 2, where he annihilated one of the 145-pound ranks' mainstays, Saemapetch Fairtex, in devastating fashion.
After a 6-1 start at ONE Friday Fights that earned him a USD 100,000 contract from ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, Dayakaev shot like a cannon in his US Primetime debut.
The Dagestani-born striker weathered a knockout scare in round 2 from the notorious Thai KO artist, which would have certainly finished lesser foes.
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However, Abdulla Dayakaev showcased his warrior spirit by getting back up from that hard shot and pulling off a highlight reel-worthy comeback KO.
Shortly after swarming the former world title challenger with a violent barrage, the 23-year-old left a chilling message to the entire bantamweight Muay Thai division. Dayakaev said in his post-event interview with Nick Atkin:
"I want to smash everyone in this division. I come for everyone in the house in here. Doesn't matter where. I come for everyone."
To be fair, Dayakaev certainly deserves a top 5 opponent next after what he did to a proven contender like Saemapetch. The sky is indeed the limit for the promising Russian warrior.
Who's next for Abdulla Dayakaev?
All signs point to a big-name opponent for Abdulla Dayakaev next for a chance to break into the stacked bantamweight Muay Thai division's rankings.
The Team Mehdi Zatout affiliate will need to prove himself further to secure matches with the likes of Superlek Kiatmoo9, Jonathan Haggerty, Nico Carillo, and interim bantamweight Muay Thai king Nabil Anane.
However, a match-up against fifth-ranked Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon or fourth-ranked Felipe Lobo could serve as the next test for Dayakaev.
The full replay of ONE Fight Night 31 is available on demand for Prime Video subscribers in North America
Watch The Bangkok Post's ONE Fight Night 31 post-event interviews:
