ONE Friday Fights 165 Co-Main Event Result: Ilyas Musaev’s Body Shot Folds Suksawat In One Round

Russian knockout artist Ilyas Musaev entered with a point to prove, and his crushing fists delivered that message in the bantamweight Muay Thai co-main event of ONE Friday Fights 165 in Bangkok’s legendary Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, August 7.

The 24-year-old got the job done with a blistering first-round knockout of Suksawat PK Saenchai, which snapped the two-fight skid he carried into this Asia primetime battle.

Suksawat, in search of a third straight triumph on the global stage, did not make life easy for the Team Mehdi Zatout star, however. The Thai threaded the early action with sharp body kicks from his southpaw stance. Musaev shook them off and answered with a knee to the midsection.

Musaev continued engaging in close quarters, and soon dug in two thudding body punches right before masterfully stepping back to avoid a whistling head kick. Working behind a stiff jab, the Russian grabbed his foe’s head during a quick clinch exchange and unleashed an elbow over the top that dropped the Thai to his knees. 

Despite suffering the early knockdown, Suksawat refused to play it safe and entered the pocket with heavy kicks and punches. Unfortunately for the PK Saenchai Muaythaigym standout, Musaev had completely found his rhythm and confidence, countering the forward pressure with precise hooks and another slicing elbow.

After separating from a tense clinch, Musaev unleashed a vicious three-punch combination punctuated by a rib-crushing left hook to the liver. The devastating body blow sent Suksawat crashing down in absolute agony, and he was unable to answer the referee’s count at the 2:11 mark of round one. 

The finish earned Musaev the 12th victory of his career and extended his 100 percent finishing rate in ONE Championship.

ONE Friday Fights 165 Full Results:

• Ilyas Musaev defeats Suksawat PK Saenchai via knockout at 2:11 of round one (Muay Thai – bantamweight)
• Kom PK Saenchai defeats Monpraram Sitpetchalukan via unanimous decision (Muay Thai – atomweight)
• Tantawy Ahmed defeats Rawee Looksuan via knockout at 0:39 of round two (Muay Thai – strawweight)
• Petanda Kiatyodying defeats Changthong M U Den via knockout at 2:45 of round one (Muay Thai – bantamweight)
• Superchamp Wutdychonburipraleasing defeats Attachai Looksuan via TKO at 2:32 of round one (Muay Thai – strawweight)
• Pettri Sitjaedang defeats Aung Tun Bo via unanimous decision (Muay Thai – atomweight)
• Songpandin Chor Kaewwiset defeats Vincenzo Esposito via TKO at 2:22 of round two (Muay Thai – flyweight)
• Tsubasa defeats Peng Zihao via knockout at 2:56 of round one (kickboxing – strawweight)