Akbar Abdullaev credits Tang Kai mauling to team: "Without them, I wouldn't be here"
Teamwork makes the dream work. At least, that's what Akbar Abdullaev believes played a pivotal role in his career-defining display inside the Lumpinee Stadium last Friday, Jan. 10.
The No.5-ranked contender stunned the crowd in Bangkok, Thailand, with a one-sided beatdown of reigning ONE featherweight MMA world champion Tang Kai in the ONE Fight Night 27 main event.
Many expected a more tightly contested battle between the two as the divisional king has proved to be an absolute force in the division. However, 'Bakal' proved that theory was far from the truth as he dominated every exchange en route to an impressive fifth-round TKO.
While the finish was his own doing, Akbar Abdullaev reckons it wouldn't have been achievable without his esteemed team of coaches and teammates at Al Munar Team and Tiger Muay Thai.
Speaking to Mitch Chilson moments after handing Tang his first defeat under the ONE banner, the 27-year-old shared:
"I want to say thank you specifically to my team right there. Without them, I wouldn't be here. Without a team that strong, champions aren't made."
Though he couldn't lay his hands on the ONE featherweight MMA world championship after failing to make the weight limit, Abdullaev showed his class on fight night and proved why he's destined for greatness in ONE Championship.
His win at ONE Fight Night 27 took him to a remarkable 12-0 with 12 finishes in his career. Four of those have come in the promotion.
North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription can catch the entire card via replay for free.
Akbar Abdullaev has a perfect venue in mind for Tang Kai rematch
There are several action-packed cards lined up for the first quarter of the year, one of those being the promotion's return to the Middle East, ONE 171: Qatar on Feb. 20.
If given the choice, Akbar Abdullaev wants to join the festivities inside the Lusail Sports Arena to run it back alongside Tang Kai for the ONE world title.
Speaking at the post-event press conference, he said:
"I'm ready. I can do it in the next tournament. I can do it in Qatar. It's just a matter of when he's ready. I can do it next week. I can even do it tomorrow. Really, I'm ready."