ONE lightweight MMA rising star, Maurice Abevi, doesn't seem too fazed about facing an undefeated juggernaut. The dynamic Swiss athlete returns at ONE 168: Denver on September 6, where he'll welcome the unbeaten Samat Mamedov to the Circle at Ball Arena.
Mamedov, who carries a pristine 10-0 record to the world's largest martial arts organization, will look to make an immediate impact in the promotion's 170-pound MMA ranks.
So far, nobody has been able to weather the Kazakh marauder's immense forward pressure and frenetic pace. Maurice Abevi, though, is confident that his well-rounded abilities on the feet and the ground will be too much for the ONE newcomer.
The 24-year-old star is even predicting a highlight-reel knockout to send the American crowd into a frenzy.
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
In an exclusive interview with ONE Championship, Abevi explained his plans to chop down his aggressive adversary:
"I'm just going to jab and move. Kick his legs, kick his body, punch to the body, counter him when he swings in the air. And then knock him out with the flying knee in the second round."
While beating Mamedov will be much easier said than done, ONE fans certainly know Abevi has the tools to succeed.
After falling short in his promotional debut last year, Maurice Abevi beautifully rebounded with back-to-back wins over Blake Cooper and Zhang Lipeng.
Samat Mamedov says judges won't be needed against Maurice Abevi
With nine of his 10 career wins coming by finishes, it's safe to say that Samat Mamedov will fit right in under the ONE banner. Like Abevi, the 25-year-old will also go for the jugular and leave the judges out of the equation. Mamedov said in his own interview with ONE:
"Abevi has a reach advantage with long arms that I think he’ll try to use. Other than that, he’s a well-rounded fighter with knockout power who’s dangerous on the ground. Most of his fights end early, and I don’t think this one will go the distance."
Tickets for ONE 168: Denver are available via Ticketmaster