‘My Goal Is To Stand Out’ – Oh Ho Taek Aiming For Highlight-Reel Finish At ONE Fight Night 8
As he prepares for his second appearance inside the ONE Championship Circle, South Korean standout Oh Ho Taek is determined to showcase his sensational finishing abilities on the global stage.
This Friday, “Spider” will return to action at ONE Fight Night 8 on Prime Video when he takes on unbeaten promotional newcomer Akbar Abdullaev in an intriguing featherweight MMA showdown.
Oh made his ONE debut last September at ONE on Prime Video 2, earning a hard-fought decision over veteran Ryogo Takahashi. But while the 29-year-old was pleased to earn the victory, he would have been much more satisfied with a stoppage.
So when he squares off with Abdullaev at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, he’s hoping to make a splash that fans in attendance and watching live in U.S. primetime won’t soon forget.
Oh told ONEFC.com:
“This time, my goal is to stand out. I haven’t shown you everything yet, so please pay attention.”
“Spider” actually suffered a broken hand early in his clash with Takahashi, forcing him to take his foot off the gas pedal.
Going into that bout, Oh had scored a finish in all but one of his professional victories – earning five submissions and two knockouts – so squeaking out a decision didn’t feel right.
He said:
“Unfortunately, I wanted to show my grappling skills, but I couldn’t properly show those skills because I couldn’t get enough strength due to my hand being injured.”
The Extreme Combat representative knows there’s only one chance to make a first impression, but he’s excited to have another opportunity this week.
In fact, his first performance has only served as motivation to produce a dominant win over Abdullaev:
“I don’t think I was very impressive in my last match, so I guess I need to make it right this time. The ideal result would be winning by KO or submission, not by decision.”
Oh Thinks Technique And Stamina Will Propel Him Past Abdullaev
As much as he’s targeting a finish, Oh Ho Taek isn’t taking Akbar Abdullaev lightly. After all, the highly touted Kyrgyz athlete owns a pristine 8-0 MMA record with a 100 percent finishing rate.
But “Spider” has done his homework. Although he acknowledges the newcomer’s fight-ending power, he’s not impressed with his overall skill set.
A dynamic blend of grappling and striking, says Oh, will be the key to handing Abdullaev his first career defeat:
“I watched the video of Akbar Abdullaev’s matches, and he seems to be good at striking and wrestling. However, he was not sophisticated in striking. His fists were heavy, and his skills did not seem very good.
“I think grappling and wrestling are also technically worth trying. So, I want to finish this match confidently by mixing strikes and ground through my specialty, all-around technique. That’s what I aim for.”
The South Korean expects to give Abdullaev a rude welcome on Friday, stopping him before the final bell and picking up his second ONE victory in as many appearances.
Rather than a quick win, though, Oh envisions a long beating as he uses his pace and endurance to secure the stoppage.
He added:
“In terms of stamina, I think I’m better than him. So this time, I will go in without stopping and deplete the opponent’s stamina to finish it.”
