On 11 January, Akbar Abdullaev achieved what no other fighter had managed to do - he handed Tang Kai his first loss in ONE Championship. And he did it in spectacular fashion.
In the main event of ONE Fight Night 27 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, the Kyrgyz fighting sensation kept his unblemished record intact and showcased his striking and ground game prowess in a catchweight fight against the featherweight champion.

Unfortunately, during the weigh-ins Abdullaev missed both weight and hydration requirements, making him ineligible to win the title. So, the fight was contested at a non-title catchweight. This, however, didn't stop him from displaying his world-class skills that shocked the champion.
"I didn't get my belt, so I can't really say much more about that. I did know that after the first round, I could see in Tang Kai's eyes that I was going to win. I don't go into a fight without knowing that I'm going to win," Abdullaev said.
"Of course, winning the title or taking home the belt would be great, but that's not my goal. My goal is to prove that I'm the best fighter, and that's what I did today. So next time, I will do the same thing and hopefully also take the belt."
The 27-year-old star's performance showed he deserves to sit at the top of the division, even if luck wasn't on his side. Meanwhile, Tang will also seek a rematch to show the world that it was just a bad day at office.
Now, Abdullaev boasts a perfect record of 12-0 in his MMA career, with a 100 percent finishing rate. Whether these two will go at it again depends on the matchmakers. However, the Kyrgyz has stated that he is ready to face anyone, regardless of the date or event.
"I'm ready. I can do it at the next event. 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," Abdullaev said.