Akbar Abdullaev Highlights: 19-Second DWCS KO & ONE Championship Finishes
Akbar Abdullaev arrived on Dana White's Contender Series with 13 professional wins, 13 finishes and an unbeaten run through ONE Championship. Nineteen seconds later, he had a UFC contract and one of the most emphatic endorsements Dana White has given a fighter on the show.
These Akbar Abdullaev highlights follow the Kyrgyz lightweight's rise from Russian regional MMA to ONE Championship and his spectacular UFC audition. The footage features knockouts against established opponents, his fifth-round stoppage of former ONE champion Tang Kai and the punch that ended his DWCS 2026 Week 6 fight against Ednilson Santos.
Akbar Abdullaev's Early Knockouts in Russian MMA
Before joining ONE, Abdullaev built his professional record on the regional circuit, including appearances under the Russian Cagefighting Championship banner.
At RCC Intro 21 in June 2022, he faced Konstantin Simonov in a featherweight bout in Yekaterinburg. Abdullaev entered with considerably less professional experience but knocked Simonov out at 2:48 of the opening round.
Three months later, he met Alexander Treskin at RCC Intro 23. This time, the fight reached the third round before Abdullaev secured another knockout at 3:35.
Those regional victories preceded his move to ONE, where he would face increasingly experienced international opposition while maintaining his perfect finishing record.
Five Fights, Five Finishes in ONE Championship
Abdullaev made his ONE debut against South Korea's Oh Ho Taek at ONE Fight Night 8 in March 2023. He landed a powerful uppercut before following Oh to the canvas with punches, forcing the stoppage just 44 seconds into the first round.
His next appearance was even quicker. Facing previously unbeaten Ecuadorian Aaron Canarte at ONE Fight Night 12, Abdullaev opened aggressively with a spinning back kick and followed with punches to finish the contest in 41 seconds.
At ONE Fight Night 22 in May 2024, Abdullaev faced another undefeated opponent in Turkey's Halil Amir. Unlike his previous ONE appearances, this fight gave him an opportunity to demonstrate his wrestling and ground control. After spending much of the opening round grappling, Abdullaev knocked Amir out with a left hook at 2:52 of Round 2.
The victory extended his professional record to 11-0 and earned him a third consecutive $50,000 performance bonus in ONE.
Akbar Abdullaev vs. Tang Kai: A Championship Victory Without the Belt
Abdullaev's biggest test came against ONE featherweight champion Tang Kai at ONE Fight Night 27 in January 2025.
The bout was originally scheduled as a featherweight championship fight, but Abdullaev missed the required weight while hydrated and became ineligible to win the title. The matchup proceeded as a five-round, non-title catchweight contest.
Inside the ring, Abdullaev showed considerably more than his usual first-round knockout power. He mixed his striking with takedowns, controlled Tang on the ground and maintained his offense into the championship rounds.
Referee Herb Dean stopped the contest at 1:21 of Round 5 as Abdullaev landed unanswered punches and elbows from top position. The Kyrgyz fighter had handed Tang his first defeat in ONE, but the championship remained out of reach because of the weight issue.
Abdullaev returned at ONE Fight Night 35 in September 2025 against Ibragim Dauev. After overcoming the Russian's early wrestling pressure, Abdullaev secured a third-round TKO at 3:49, completing his ONE career with five victories and five finishes.
For more footage from that event, watch MMAtown's ONE Fight Night 35 highlights.
19-Second Knockout on DWCS Earns Abdullaev a UFC Contract
On September 15, 2026, Abdullaev finally made his Contender Series appearance against Brazilian lightweight Ednilson Santos at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas.
Abdullaev needed only a few seconds to find his range. After throwing a couple of jabs, he landed a clean overhand right that knocked Santos unconscious. Referee Jason Herzog immediately stopped the fight at 0:19 of Round 1.
The knockout improved Akbar Abdullaev's professional record to 14-0, with 13 knockout or TKO victories and one submission. He had still never needed the judges to decide a fight.
Dana White was particularly impressed. During the post-fight contract announcements, the UFC CEO described Abdullaev as possibly the greatest talent to appear on the Contender Series during its 10-year history.
Abdullaev received his UFC contract alongside Mayton Perea, Igor Cavalcanti and Luis Hernandez. He now enters the UFC lightweight division after spending his ONE Championship career competing at featherweight under that promotion's weight and hydration system.
Watch the DWCS 2026 Week 6 highlights for Abdullaev's knockout of Santos and the other finishes that earned four fighters UFC contracts.