WATCH: Dagi Arslanaliev brings a perfect storm in brutal stoppage of Mishal Alfad in ONE Championship debut

Before Dagi Arslanaliev steps back inside the ONE Championship circle later this month, the promotion took a moment to revisit his explosive debut that introduced him to the global stage in emphatic fashion.

Arslanaliev made his first appearance at ONE: Clash of Heroes in January 2016, facing Mishal Alfad in a lightweight MMA contest that lasted less than a minute.

Watch the highlights of that matchup below:

Wasting no time in his maiden assignment, the Turkish powerhouse made an instant impact with his relentless aggression. In just 32 seconds, he overwhelmed Alfad with a barrage of strikes and powerful takedowns.

A thunderous suplex put his opponent on the mat, and Arslanaliev immediately followed up with vicious ground-and-pound to force the referee to step in and call a halt to the contest.

Few could have predicted that this dominant performance would be the start of a remarkable run. Since that night, Arslanaliev has emerged as a force in the division, securing seven finishes in his next nine outings.

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Dagi Arslanaliev moves up to welterweight at ONE 171

Now, Dagi Arslanaliev is set to embark on a new challenge on the supporting card of ONE 171, moving up to welterweight to take on Croatian knockout artist Roberto Soldic at the Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar on March 23.

Long considered a threat in the lightweight ranks, Arslanaliev has built his career on high-impact takedowns and punishing ground-and-pound, amassing eight highlight-reel stoppages under the organization’s banner.

A statement win over Soldic could propel him into welterweight title contention — possibly setting up a rematch with reigning two-division champion Christian Lee.

It can be recalled that Arslanaliev and Lee initially crossed paths in the finals of the ONE Lightweight MMA World Grand Prix in October 2019, where the latter prevailed by unanimous decision after three grueling rounds.

It's safe to assume that Arslanaliev wants a piece of payback on Lee, this time at welterweight.