Akbar Abdullaev not stressing missing out on $50,000 bonus after marvelous finish over Tang Kai: “All good”

Akbar Abdullaev isn't stressing over missing out on another $50,000 bonus.

The undefeated Kyrgyz earned his fourth-straight finish on martial arts' biggest global stage, scoring a fifth-round TKO against reigning ONE featherweight MMA world champion Tang Kai at ONE Fight Night 27.

Unfortunately, Akbar was ineligible to leave with the 26 pounds of ONE gold after he failed to meet weight and hydration requirements for the championship headliner. Adding insult to injury, 'Bakal' was also ineligible to leave the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok with another $50,000 bonus.

But despite not walking away with anything more than his 'O' intact, Abdullaev is refusing to focus on the negatives of the situation.

"I don't feel anything right now, actually, because I am used to getting a bonus," Abdullaev said during his post-fight interview. "All three fights that I've had, I've won a bonus, and unfortunately, with the hydration, me not getting the right levels, I wasn't able to get my bonus this time. But that's okay because it's all up to the greater power to decide. So, all good."

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Akbar Abdullaev is coming for Tang Kai's 26 pounds of gold

Though Akbar Abdullaev may not have been able to dethrone Tang Kai in their first meeting, despite walking away with a decisive victory, 'Bakal' made it clear following their fight that the Chinese superstar's days with the gold are numbered.

"It'll be very interesting to see what Tang Kai would do in the next fight against me," Abdullaev said. "I don't want to look too far into the future because we never know what's going to happen tomorrow. But I would love to see Tang Kai again and go for the title and take home the belt."

Considering the lights-out performance he delivered in The Land of Smiles, it's probably safe to assume that a rematch between the two is a top priority for ONE Championship. When or where that takes place remains to be seen, but let's just hope that Abdullaev can get the job done on the scale the second time around.

If you missed any of the action, ONE Championship fans in the United States and Canada can watch the ONE Fight Night 27 replay on demand via Amazon Prime Video.