Tang Kai marched through the ONE Championship featherweight division to become China’s first-ever male MMA World Champion. As 2025 gets underway, he will set forth to defend his crown. At ONE Fight Night 27 on Prime Video, Tang welcomes the challenge from an undefeated beast.
Tang Kai Not Too Worried About Akbar Abdullaev
Akbar Abdullaev gets his shot at the ONE Featherweight MMA World Title on Friday, January 10. The Kyrgyz star is perfect in his career, including three knockout performances on the global stage. Yet still, Tang is unfazed by his challenger’s record.
“It is a good record, but just look at all his opponents – none of them impressed me. I think [his perfect record] is only because he is very brave and he always pushes forward,” Tang Kai remarked to ONE.
DON'T BLINK ⚡ Tang Kai puts his ONE Featherweight MMA World Title on the line against undefeated Kyrgyz sensation Akbar Abdullaev on January 10 at ONE Fight Night 27 on @primevideo! Can Abdullaev score his fourth straight knockout and dethrone the Chinese superstar? 👑… pic.twitter.com/xC2fZvSugu
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) November 15, 2024
In Abdullaev’s first two outings in ONE, he needed just a combined 85 seconds to defeat Oh Ho Taek and Aaron Canarte by TKO. Then, in a battle of unbeatens, he served up a devastating KO to Halil Amir to earn his title shot. Tang Kai feels he can match the Tiger Muay Thai star’s aggressiveness but also beat him by being the cleaner striker.
“His strength is the way he pushes forward. Compared with me, I think my strength is my sticking and moving. I think we both are good strikers and we each have knockout power, but the key is who can find their timing first,” the featherweight king said.
Tang Kai Hungry for a Finish Inside the Distance
Tang has his own slate of impressive marks. The Chinese star is coming off a TKO over Thanh Le, a knockout artist in his own right. Still, as the champion, he is preparing himself to go the full 25 minutes to retain the gold.
“I want to finish this fight by KO, but I’m also prepared for a five-round contest,” Tang said.
The Chinese athlete did not need the title to motivate him for this, or any other, match. The Sunkin International Fight Club representative can do that on his own. The 28-year-old maintains a philosophy of improving day by day so that he can always be at his best.
“Of course, I have pressure in each fight, but the pressure is also my motivation. I have known my opponents will be stronger and stronger since the day I got the belt, and I am improving myself every day, too. It is what a champion should do,” Tang Kai commented.
Tang Kai Wants To Apply Heat to Akbar Abdullaev
When the lights shine down inside Lumpinee Stadium on January 10, Tang believes it will be his opponent who will feel the pressure the most. The defending champion thinks Abdullaev will bear the weight of being an undefeated athlete. If true, the champion’s comfortability in the biggest moments could play a pivotal role in the main event title tilt.
“I think he has more pressure because he has the 11-fight winning streak and hasn’t lost. And he is the challenger, so I think he has more pressure,” the 28-year-old said.
ONE Fight Night 27 airs live on Prime Video on Friday, January 10. The action begins at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST. The event is free for all Amazon Prime subscribers based in the U.S. and Canada.
