In a remarkable turn of events, Turkish sensation Dzhabir Dzhabrailov pulled off a stunning first-round comeback to knock out American powerhouse Chase Mann. Meanwhile, Muay Thai legend Sam-A Gaiyanghadao delivered a breathtaking walk-off head-kick knockout of Elmehdi El Jamari in the co-main event at ONE Fight Night 42. Dzhabrailov, who had never been truly tested in his professional MMA career, faced his toughest challenge yet against Mann in the main event. Despite encountering significant adversity, the 21-year-old Turkish phenom ultimately emerged victorious.
The American powerhouse dominated the early stages of the fight, dragging Dzhabrailov to the mat and pinning him against the ropes. However, Dzhabrailov managed to stand up, create some distance, and land a few hard shots of his own.
The tide of the fight began to turn in his favor as he fended off Mann's attacks and landed a devastating left hook that caught his opponent flush on the button. Mann dropped to the ground, and Dzhabrailov pounced, landing two hammerfists before the referee intervened at 2:31 of round one. This impressive comeback victory extended Dzhabrailov's flawless record to 7-0 and marked his fifth consecutive first-round stoppage win.
In the co-main event, 42-year-old Sam-A produced a captivating second-round knockout of El Jamari in the strawweight Muay Thai bout. The Thai legend survived a dramatic knockdown to land a walk-off head kick that left his Moroccan opponent spark out on the canvas.
Sam-A's victory earned him a $50,000 performance bonus and could place him back into contention for the ONE Strawweight Muay Thai world title.