Three fights. Three knockouts in ONE Championship. All inside two minutes. Dzhabir Dzhabrailov is not interested in changing the formula.
The 21-year-old Turkish finisher faces fellow unbeaten mixed martial artist Chase Mann in the welterweight MMA main event of ONE Fight Night 42 on April 11, a bout that carries World Title implications with reigning ONE Lightweight and Welterweight MMA World Champion Christian Lee's crown potentially on the line for the winner.
Dzhabrailov has heard all about the stakes. They have not shifted his mentality by a single degree.
"Besides higher stakes and waking up early for the fight, nothing changes. I know who I am and what I am capable of," he said.
The Lions MMA Club product based in Phuket has made a habit of ending fights before they have barely begun, completing a perfect 6-0 professional record built entirely on finishes with three consecutive ONE knockouts that have left the welterweight division on notice.
Mann represents the most credentialed opponent of Dzhabrailov's young career. The Arkansas native carries a 7-0 record with five finishes and opened his ONE account this January with a first-round TKO victory over Isi Fitikefu.
"I saw his fight against Isi Fitikefu, and I wasn't impressed. You can expect the fireworks, and, as usual, expect a highlight finish from my side. Let's see if he can survive with me. An ideal win is for me to be done in round one. 50k bonus," Dzhabrailov said.
The confidence is not without tactical grounding. The Turkish fighter has studied his opponent's game and identified the precise area where he intends to impose himself.
"His striking is his biggest weakness. On my end, my speed and the variety of weapons in my arsenal will be decisive," he said.
A 21-year-old with three two-minute knockouts. A 29-year-old with seven wins and something to prove. The welterweight division's future could be decided on April 10 in Bangkok.
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