"It was tough for me" - Akbar Abdullaev admits struggling against Ibragim Dauev after weight miss

Akbar Abdullaev may have extended his perfect record to 13-0 with another spectacular finish. But the undefeated Kyrgyzstan warrior wasn't shy about acknowledging the challenges he faced during his featherweight MMA joust at ONE Fight Night 35.

The 27-year-old top-ranked contender delivered a vintage performance when it mattered most, stopping dangerous Russian prospect Ibragim Dauev with a barrage of ground strikes at 3:49 of the third round inside Bangkok's legendary Lumpinee Stadium.

That said, the victory came after overcoming significant adversity both before and during the fight.

Abdullaev missed weight once more, just as he did in the lead-up to his victorious night out against Tang Kai at ONE Fight Night 27 this past January.

The Al Munar Team and Tiger Muay Thai affiliate was determined not to repeat that mistake, but managing his weight once more proved to be a hurdle.

Despite maintaining his flawless finishing rate and positioning himself for another title shot, Abdullaev was quick to acknowledge both his opponent's toughness and his own struggles during the post-fight interview with Mitch Chilson.

"Thank you very much, ONE Championship, Mr. Chatri. Thank you, Big Boss. That fight was very tough. You know, I had a very strong opponent, and it was also really hard for me to recover after trying to make weight," Akbar Abdullaev offered during the in-ring interview.

"So I wanted to give a special thank you to my opponent, too. We know that these guys, they push to the end. So it was tough for me. And, yeah, I feel great."

North American fight fans witnessed this featherweight MMA barnburner and the entire ONE Fight Night 35 card via replay on Amazon Prime Video.

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Akbar Abdullaev moves ot 5-0 in ONE

It was business as usual for the Kyrgyzstani martial artist inside the Mecca of Muay Thai this past Friday, September 5.

Though he may have left it late, just as he did against Tang earlier this year, Akbar Abdullaev proved that the power in his destructive fists is just as potent as it is in the earlier rounds.

His win at ONE Fight Night 35 was his fifth successive win in the promotion, all of which have come inside the distance, to maintain his 100 percent finishing rate.

Apart from Tang and Dauev, the likes of Halil Amir, Aaron Canarte, and Oh Ho Taek have fallen victim to his finishing abilities.