THROWBACK: Akbar Abdullaev ends ONE Championship debut in 44 seconds

Lookback at the impressive ONE Championship debut of Akbar Abdullaev -- Photo by ONE Championship
Lookback at the impressive ONE Championship debut of Akbar Abdullaev -- Photo by ONE Championship

The Kyrgyzstani sensation Akbar Abdullaev has been dominant since joining ONE Championship in 2023. It all started with an impressive TKO victory, which he delivered in under a minute.

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The setting was ONE Fight Night 8 in March 2023 against Oh Ho Taek of South Korea. Boasting of an undefeated 8-0 record heading into his ONE debut, 'Bakal' didn't waste time trumpeting that he will be a force to be reckoned with as well in the "Home of Martial Arts" by making a quick work of the 'Spider.'

Abdullaev showcased fluidity in his movement from the get-go, landing some solid hits early in the match. It did not take long before he put a stop to the contest after connecting with a crisp right upper cut on Oh Ho Taek's chin that sent the latter down to the mat. From there, the Al Munar Team/Tiger Muay Thai affiliate jumped on his opponent to uncork a barrage of strikes, eventually forcing the referee to stop the match 44 seconds into it.

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ONE Championship looked back at the impressive debut outing of Akbar Abdullaev in a recent video post on Instagram.

Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more

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Abdullaev followed his 44-second stoppage of Oh Ho Taek with another quick TKO win in his next match four months later, stopping Aaron Canarte of Ecuador in just 41 seconds.

He added two more KO victories after, the most recent in January this year, where he TKO'd reigning featherweight MMA king Tang Kai of China in the fifth round of their marquee showdown. The win could have netted him the world title but after missing weight and hydration limits in the official weigh-ins, he was ineligible to secure the strap.

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Akbar Abdullaev returns to action at ONE Fight Night 35

Akbar Abdullaev looks to extend his undefeated run in ONE Championship when he returns to action next month in Thailand.

The 27-year-old Kyrgyzstani fighter is featured in a featherweight MMA clash against fellow streaking opponent Ibragim Dauev of Russia at ONE Fight Night 35: Buntan vs. Hemetsberger on Prime Video on Sept. 5 at Bangkok's Lumpinee Stadium.

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Like Akbar Abdullaev, 24-year-old Dauev has been undefeated in his ONE Championship campaign to date. All of his victories have come by decision, with the latest coming last month, when he defeated Brazilian Pedro Dantas.

ONE Fight Night 35 is headlined by the strawweight Muay Thai world title match between reigning divisional queen Jackie Buntan of the United States and challenger Stella Hemetsberger of Austria.

The event is available live. U.S. primetime to North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.

Follow One Championship News, Schedule & Results at Sportskeeda.

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Edited by Himakshu Vyas
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