Maurice Abevi looks to spoil Samat Mamedov’s debut at ONE 168

Maurice Abevi is poised to play the welcoming committee role for Samat Mamedov as the latter makes his ONE Championship debut. 

Both men face off at ONE 168: Denver. This lightweight MMA bout takes place live at the 21,000-seat Ball Arena on September 6.

As of late, Abevi has been making waves in ONE.

After a hard-fought decision loss to Halil Amir in his maiden appearance, the Swiss standout bounced back with authority. He secured two consecutive triumphs. First he knocked out Blake Cooper in September 2023 and won a decision over Zhang Lipeng in May.

These victories have solidified Abevi’s position as a serious contender in the division. In fact, another win in Denver could set him up for a potential World Title shot.

Samat Mamedov in pursuit of statement win against Maurice Abevi in ONE debut

On the other side of the cage stands Samat Mamedov. He’s a formidable Kazakh prospect who wants to make a significant impact in his initial assignment on the global stage.

At just 25 years old, Mamedov brings an impressive 10-0 professional record. Nine of those victories coming via first-round finishes.

Mamedov’s fighting style is a blend of explosive power and elite grappling. Known for his ability to finish fights both on the feet and on the ground, he is particularly dangerous when he applies his grappling prowess and submission skills.

His approach is designed to overwhelm opponents with a relentless pace and superior technique, making him a difficult challenge for anyone at 170 pounds.

Mamedov looks to put Maurice Abevi’s recent successes in perspective and introduce himself as a serious threat to two-division king Christian Lee’s reign as the ONE Lightweight MMA World Champion.