5 Burning Questions Ahead Of ONE Fight Night 42: Mann Vs. Dzhabrailov On Prime Video
ONE Championship is back in U.S. primetime with ONE Fight Night 42: Mann vs. Dzhabrailov on Prime Video this Friday, April 10, live from Bangkok’s legendary Lumpinee Stadium.
The nine-match card packs explosive MMA, Muay Thai, and submission grappling into a single unmissable night, with every bout carrying its own stakes and the potential to deliver a defining moment on the sport’s biggest stage.
With careers, perfect records, and World Title dreams all demanding answers before the final bell, here are five burning questions surrounding ONE Fight Night 42.
#1 How Many Fighters Can Keep Their Undefeated Records Intact?
Five fighters step into the ring at ONE Fight Night 42 with a combined zero defeats between them. The welterweight MMA main event sits at the heart of it.
Chase “Mannimal” Mann arrives 7-0 with five stoppages after a dominant ONE debut over Isi “Doxz” Fitikefu last January. Standing across from him is Dzhabir Dzhabrailov, 6-0, with every victory coming by finish.
The Turkish demolition man has wrapped up all his promotional fights inside a combined time of under three minutes. Victory for either man could position him for a shot at ONE Lightweight and Welterweight MMA World Champion Christian “The Warrior” Lee.
Aslamjon Ortikov adds another compelling subplot. The Uzbek standout owns a flawless 23-0 career record and has gone 9-0 in ONE. He seeks to extend that run against Jordan “Panda Kick” Estupinan, who aims to bounce back in this flyweight Muay Thai duel after his first career loss last September.
Karen Ghazaryan and Joshua “Flyin Hawaiian” Perreira round out the undefeated contingent. The 24-year-old Armenian enters his promotional debut with a 5-0 record and a 100 percent finishing rate against Hiroba Minowa in strawweight MMA.
Perreira returns with a perfect 5-0 record and faces Gilbert Nakatani in an all-American flyweight MMA showdown that opens the card. Something has to give on April 10.
#2 Can Sam-A Continue Defying Father Time?
At 42 years old, Sam-A Gaiyanghadao continues to rewrite the rules of what is possible in combat sports.
He holds one of the most remarkable resumes in the sport: inaugural ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion, inaugural ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion, inaugural ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion, and a host of other accolades across the legendary Thai circuit.
Despite all his accomplishments, the Evolve MMA affiliate is eager to close in on another shot at reigning ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion Prajanchai PongSuphan PK.
To do so, he must navigate a genuine danger in Elmehdi “The Sniper” El Jamari at ONE Fight Night 42.
The Moroccan owns a 27-2 record and announced himself on the global stage with a brutal first-round knockout of Thongpoon PK Saenchai. He arrives with no intention of letting a legend’s push gather momentum.
A fourth ONE World Title would crown one of combat sports’ most extraordinary careers. Sam-A is as driven, as dangerous, and as hungry as he has ever been — proof at 42 that greatness has no expiry date.
#3 Will Suakim Make It Seven Straight Wins?
Suakim Pongsuphan PK has been one of the most consistent performers in ONE, and his momentum shows no signs of slowing.
The former three-division Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion carries a 155-60 career record and a 7-2 promotional slate into his bantamweight Muay Thai clash with Vladimir Kuzmin, including five finishes.
His six-fight winning streak is built on quality, capped by a US$50,000 performance bonus knockout of Jake “The One” Peacock at ONE 173 in Tokyo last November.
That finishing power, delivered on the sport’s biggest stage, has put Suakim firmly in the bantamweight World Title conversation. A seventh straight win would be difficult to ignore.
With newly crowned ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon searching for his first defense, a dominant performance could position Suakim as the frontrunner for a title shot.
Kuzmin is no easy assignment. The Russian brings a technical and dangerous arsenal and has shared the global stage with ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan “The General” Haggerty and “Elbow Zombie” Muangthai PK Saenchai.
#4 Can Iwamoto Exact Revenge Against Leon?
When Dante Leon and Kenta Iwamoto last met in 2023, Leon walked away with a submission victory. Three years later, the rematch carries more weight and far more intrigue.
Leon has continued to build his case as one of the promotion’s elite grapplers since that meeting. The two-time IBJJF No-Gi World Champion has earned victories over Bruno Pucci and Tommy Langaker, challenged ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion Tye Ruotolo, and arrives as the man to beat in the division.
He may be the heavy favorite in this welterweight submission grappling matchup, but Iwamoto is no ordinary opponent.
The Japanese standout is a judo and BJJ black belt, a three-time ADCC Asia and Oceania Trials winner, and one of the most technically refined grapplers to make his promotional debut in recent memory.
In the three years since their first encounter, he has sharpened every facet of his game, adding Greco-Roman wrestling to an already formidable arsenal and bringing a physicality that few at this level can match. Iwamoto arrives carrying a genuine belief that the result will be different this time.
For Leon, this is about maintaining his position at the top of the division. For Iwamoto, it is about delivering a statement that resets the conversation entirely.
#5 Can Paez Make It Two Statement Wins In A Row?
This fight was planned for February before illness forced Black Panther to withdraw. It is finally here, and Diego Paez steps into it off the best performance of his career.
His win over Johan “Jojo” Ghazali at ONE Fight Night 32 was one for the books. The 19-year-old was considered one of the most dangerous contenders at flyweight, and Paez outpointed him with a composed, powerful display that announced his arrival as a legitimate force.
Black Panther represents a significant step up. The Thai brawler returns in this flyweight Muay Thai fixture on a run of four straight wins, including stoppages of Johan Estupinan and Ali Saldoev.
His aggressive, pressure-heavy style and finishing ability make him a nightmare for anyone who loves a scrap — and a war is exactly what this promises to be.
Both men have proven they deliver when it matters most. A win for Black Panther would push him further into the upper echelons of the division, while Paez returns with a chance to make it two in a row against his toughest test yet at ONE Fight Night 42.
