Akbar Abdullaev showcased underrated wrestling at ONE Fight Night 22: “I can do everything”

At ONE Fight Night 22 on Prime Video last Friday, May 3, Akbar Abdullaev demonstrated why he’s far from being a one-trick pony.

Known initially for his striking prowess and knockout power, he surprised many with his exceptional grappling skills.

The Kyrgyz standout put this to good use against Halil Amir in their featherweight MMA bout on the aforementioned U.S. primetime card.

For the majority of the matchup, he controlled the pace, stifling Amir and showcasing a side of his game that hadn’t been seen before in such detail.

Despite his deviation from his usual style “Bakal” still got the job done with his dreaded stand-up offense.

Abdullaev landed a perfectly timed left hook, shutting the lights off on his Turkish opponent with mere seconds remaining in the second round.

Reflecting on his performance, Abdullaev expressed pride in his ability to demonstrate a new facet of his evolving skill set.

“When it comes to my wrestling, many people say they were surprised. But you guys need to understand, since childhood, I was wrestling. If you Google ‘Kyrgyzstan,’ we have one of the best teams in the world,” he said.

“Wrestling is pretty big in Kyrgyzstan. And I [have been] wrestling since childhood.”

Abdullaev believes that incorporating wrestling into his arsenal will only serve to amplify his aura of unpredictability.

“MMA is not just hugging and takedowns and just staying on the floor. It’s all about [putting on] a good show. It’s all about strikes, it’s all about throwing punches and kicks as well,” he said.

“So of course, I was trying to show everyone that I can do everything.”