One Fight Night 27 delivered a night of thrilling martial arts action. Featuring an intense featherweight matchup between defending champion Tang Kai and rising contender Akbar Abdullaev, One Fight Night 27 showcased stunning finishes across various disciplines.
From MMA to Muay Thai, fans were treated to high-level combat and unforgettable moments. Here are the Top 3 Finishes from this spectacular event!
3. Akbar Abdullaev vs. Tang Kai
Despite Abdullaev missing weight and becoming ineligible to win the featherweight title, he still managed to put on a performance that warrants a rematch.
Fighting out of Kyrgyzstan, the rising contender came in with an undefeated 11-0 record and a 100% finish rate. As China’s first male MMA champion in ONE, Tang Kai boasted a 19-3 record, with his last two wins being against the dangerous knockout artist and former featherweight champion Thanh Le.
Round 1 began with Tang Kai keeping his distance from Abdullaev and landing calf kicks. However, it didn’t take long for Abdullaev to find his groove and constantly pressure the defending champion. With no choice, Tang Kai clinched with Abdullaev and pressed him against the ring until the end of the round.
Round 2 saw Abdullaev coming out with a triple jab and going guns blazing. Despite Tang Kai’s attempts to return fire, Abdullaev continued with forward pressure and scored a double-leg takedown 37 seconds in.
Abdullaev stayed on top of Tang Kai until Tang scrambled back up at 2:03. Even so, Abdullaev still got a hold of the defending champion and swept him to the ground again with 2:08 left. With 1:29 left, Tang Kai once again got back on both feet and attempted a takedown of his own, only for Abdullaev to successfully defend it and take Tang Kai down for a third time with less than 10 seconds left.
Round 3 saw Abdullaev pick up where he left off, starting with a barrage of punches. Tang Kai, however, became much more aggressive and landed a few counters to slow down the challenger. Nonetheless, Abdullaev charged with a double-leg takedown at 1:08, sending Tang Kai to the ground once again.
As Tang Kai tried to get back up at 2:05, Abdullaev scored a few ground knees before the fight briefly returned to a standing position. After more flurries from Abdullaev, Tang attempted a takedown with 2:44 left, only for Akbar to put him in a guillotine choke and land more head knees, sending Tang to the ground again. From there, Abdullaev relentlessly smothered Tang Kai, covering his mouth while raining down hard punches. Although referee Herb Dean stood both fighters back up, Abdullaev continued his dominant performance until the end of the round.
Round 4 followed a similar pattern as rounds 2 and 3. Abdullaev pressured Tang with relentless striking, scoring a body-lock takedown just 15 seconds into the round and continuing to smother the champion with top control and heavy punches. Even when Herb Dean stood them back up at 0:39, Abdullaev successfully maintained the pressure and scored another takedown with 30 seconds left, staying on top until the end of the round.
Round 5 saw Abdullaev securing another takedown within the first 10 seconds. From the bottom, Tang Kai attempted to hold onto Abdullaev’s head, but the challenger broke free at 1:06 and unleashed a series of unanswered, heavy punches. Referee Herb Dean had seen enough and stopped the fight at 1:21.
2. Luke Lessei vs. Cody Jerome
Next up is an America-vs.-Canada showdown between Luke Lessei and Cody Jerome. With a record of 7-2, Luke Lessei entered the bout as the 5th-ranked featherweight contender. His opponent, Cody Jerome, had a much more impressive record at 10-1.
Round 1: From the opening bell, Jerome, the shorter and heavier fighter, pressed forward with head movement while Lessei kept his distance as the much taller competitor. The two clinched within 15 seconds, with Jerome holding Lessei in a body lock while Lessei answered with elbows.
After the separation at 0:25, Jerome continued pressing forward as the two exchanged blows in close quarters. As Jerome advanced, Lessei timed a left body kick at 0:59, dropping Jerome for a 10-count. Jerome survived but was hurt again by a rear teep at 1:17. This time, Lessei went on the offensive and brought Jerome to one knee with another rear teep.
Though Jerome managed to survive, Lessei began spamming body kicks, combining them with punches to drop Jerome for a third time at the 2-minute mark. Referee Olivier Coste had seen enough and stopped the fight. Lessei’s sensational performance earned him a well-deserved Performance of the Night bonus!
1. Denice Zamboanga vs. Alyona Rassohyna
At the top of the list is the clash between Denice Zamboanga and Alyona Rassohyna for the women’s interim atomweight title. Ranked at number 5, Ukraine’s Rassohyna entered the fight with a 13-5 record, including 11 submission victories. She also holds the distinction of handing undisputed champion Stamp Fairtex her first MMA loss. Ranked at number 2, Zamboanga came in with a record of 11-2, aiming to become ONE’s first Filipina MMA champion.
Round 1: Both women wasted no time implementing their game plans. As a grappling specialist, Rassohyna attempted to close the distance, only to be met with crisp boxing combinations from Zamboanga. At 2:56, in a surprising turn of events, it was Zamboanga who scored a body-lock takedown.
Rassohyna attempted an armbar from a closed guard, but Zamboanga managed to escape and stand back up. Referee Herb Dean stood both fighters up at 3:18. Zamboanga continued displaying effective striking, landing clean shots while avoiding damage. Rassohyna attempted another takedown at 3:53, but Zamboanga sprawled and transitioned to side control. The Ukrainian managed to grab hold of an arm with her legs, but time ran out with just 10 seconds left.
Round 2: Zamboanga continued her dominance both on the feet and on the ground. She consistently landed strikes on an advancing Rassohyna, who attempted a takedown at 0:51 but failed, finding herself on her back again. After a quick separation at 1:09, a grounded Rassohyna attempted upkicks, but Zamboanga evaded them and countered with heavy punches.
With 2:06 left, Rassohyna attempted a leg lock, but Zamboanga defended well, freed her leg with a minute remaining, and continued her onslaught. Now in side control, Zamboanga landed heavy elbows with 40 seconds left. She kept striking away until referee Herb Dean stopped the fight at 4:47.
Zamboanga not only secured the interim women’s atomweight title but also earned the event’s final Performance of the Night bonus!
