3 Fast Facts About Unbeaten Featherweight Knockout Artist Akbar Abdullaev

Akbar “Bakal” Abdullaev appears poised to make waves in the world’s largest martial arts organization.

The Kyrgyzstani phenom will make his much-anticipated ONE debut on March 24 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium when he squares off with South Korean standout Oh Ho Taek in a featherweight MMA scrap in U.S. primetime.

Fans of elite mixed martial arts won’t want to miss Abdullaev’s debut at ONE Fight Night 8: Bhullar vs. Malykhin on Prime Video, as the rising star possesses an electrifying, entertaining style and has all the makings of a future World Champion.

With that in mind, here are three fast facts about one of the most exciting additions to ONE’s loaded featherweight division in recent memory.

#1 He Started Following ONE Due To Compatriot Kiamrian Abbasov

“Bakal” was dialed into ONE Championship long before he signed with the promotion. In fact, he initially began following the organization thanks to fellow Kyrgyzstani MMA star Kiamrian “Brazen” Abbasov.

With seven bouts inside the Circle – including three spectacular finishes – the former ONE Welterweight World Champion has been one of the promotion’s biggest stars over the past few years.

Abdullaev certainly has the skills to follow in his compatriot’s footsteps and could soon serve as an inspiration to other Kyrgyzstani fighters.

#2 He’s Undefeated – With Only One Fight Leaving The First Round

The Al Munar Team representative is a finisher through and through. What’s more, he gets the job done with incredible quickness.

Across his pristine 8-0 professional MMA career, Abdullaev has allowed just one fight to get past the first round – and he finished that opponent in the second.

With his deep striking arsenal and raw athleticism, “Bakal” earned a knockout in each of those first seven bouts before securing a submission less than a minute into his most recent outing. 

Clearly, the 25-year-old owns the skills to put opponents away early.

#3 He Served In The Military

Abdullaev is no stranger to adversity and hard training.

Before he was plying his trade in 4-ounce MMA gloves, the young phenom served in the Krygyzstani military, where he undoubtedly honed the discipline needed to compete at a world-class level.