‘I Want To Finish This Fight By KO’ – Tang Kai Eager To Stand And Trade With Akbar Abdullaev In World Title Showdown
On January 10, reigning ONE Featherweight MMA World Champion Tang Kai will face perhaps his most dangerous challenge yet when he defends his belt against undefeated Kyrgyz sensation Akbar “Bakal” Abdullaev in the main event of ONE Fight Night 27 on Prime Video.
That highly anticipated World Title showdown will air live in U.S. primetime from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
On paper, this matchup of finishers promises white-knuckle action for as long as it lasts.
In one corner, Tang has amassed a dominant 8-0 record in ONE that includes five spectacular stoppages, establishing himself as one of MMA’s pound-for-pound best and a world-class knockout artist.
Abdullaev, meanwhile, boasts an unblemished career record and a 100 percent finishing rate. He’s scored highlight-reel knockouts in all three of his appearances in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
Despite his foe’s flawless record, Tang isn’t particularly impressed. The Chinese superstar told onefc.com that “Bakal” is nothing more than a fearless brawler:
“It is a good record, but just look at all his opponents – none of them impressed me. I think [his perfect record] is only because he is very brave and he always pushes forward.”
Both athletes are well-rounded mixed martial artists who can fight in all phases of combat, but it’s no secret that both Tang and Abdullaev do their best work in the stand-up department.
However, the featherweight MMA king says they approach striking in entirely different ways.
Abdullaev is an extremely aggressive, forward-marching power puncher, while Tang is a refined and technical counter-striker, often drawing his opponents into the kill shot after setting the trap.
The 28-year-old World Champion explained:
“His strength is the way he pushes forward. Compared with me, I think my strength is my sticking and moving. I think we both are good strikers and we each have knockout power, but the key is who can find their timing first.”
In the end, the titleholder plans to do what he does best and finish Abdullaev on the feet with another devastating knockout, further cementing his status as the divisional king.
Whether he gets his wish and scores the knockout or goes to war for 25 minutes, Tang said he’s ready for anything on January 10:
“I want to finish this fight by KO, but I’m also prepared for a five-round contest.”
Tang Finds Motivation In World Title Pressure
Tang Kai’s World Title battle with Akbar Abdullaev at ONE Fight Night 27 will mark his second defense of the featherweight MMA crown.
He admitted that, as China’s first-ever male MMA World Champion, he feels plenty of pressure each and every time he competes – but he also uses that feeling as fuel to train harder:
“Of course, I have pressure in each fight, but the pressure is also my motivation. I have known my opponents will be stronger and stronger since the day I got the belt, and I am improving myself every day, too. It is what a champion should do.”
Notably, Tang believes that it’s Abdullaev, with his perfect career record, who should be feeling more heat on fight night.
He added:
“I think he has more pressure because he has the 11-fight winning streak and hasn’t lost. And he is the challenger, so I think he has more pressure.”
