Abdulla Dayakaev

Dagestan-born striker Abdulla Dayakaev has emerged as one of the most promising talents to come out of the organization’s ONE Friday Fights series.

But truth be told, Muay Thai wasn’t always his main focus.

There was a time when Dayakaev worked as a security guard in Russia. But, dreaming of competing against the elite of Muay Thai, he packed his bags and moved to Thailand. There, he began training under Mehdi Zatout in Pattaya.

Steadily, he built his case competing in the ONE Friday Fights series from November 2023 to February 2025, where he scored six wins in seven fights. During that run, he also knocked out four of his opponents.

But his knockout win over Italy’s Alessio Malatestav saw him earn a US$100,000 contract and spot on ONE Championship’s global roster courtesy of ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong.

Now part of the deep bantamweight Muay Thai division, Dayakaev is eyeing 26 pounds of gold.