Akbar Abdullaev failed to make weight for his ONE featherweight MMA world championship contest against defending king Tang Kai in the ONE Fight Night 27 main event. However, that didn't stop the Kyrgyzstan powerhouse from dishing out a career-best display in Bangkok, Thailand.
Everything worked out to perfection for the Tiger Muay Thai and Al Munar Team standout inside the legendary Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, January 10.
The No.5-ranked fighter hurt the Chinese martial arts hero with a mix of intelligent striking and grappling, never falling back despite the dangers that Tang brought to the table.
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Things only got better for him the deeper the fight went.
With confidence every time he advanced, the Kyrgyz powerhouse eventually slammed the door shut on any chance of his dance partner securing the win with a plethora of strikes on the canvas until the match was officially called off at 1:21 of the fifth round.
Though he didn't have the 26 pounds of gold to show for the victory, Abdullaev hinted that his fight week misfortune and dominant display would only force the pair to cross paths on the global stage soon.
Akbar Abdullaev told Mitch Chilson during the in-ring post-fight interview:
"Once again, it's just up to the greater power. Some things didn't go my way, unfortunately. But it's okay. I will be back."
Akbar Abdullaev confident win over Tang Kai makes him featherweight's finest
Akbar Abdullaev believes his display inside the Mecca of Muay Thai sends a warning message to the rest of the athletes in the featherweight division — there's a new sheriff in town.
The Kyrgyz warrior had this to say during the post-event press conference when asked whether he's the best fighter in the weight bracket today:
"I don't think - I actually know. Because I proved it today, who is number one."
ONE Fight Night 27 will be available via replay to all active Amazon Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.