The Inner Circle 19 Results: Rifdean Earns Life-Changing Contract, Bahsous Stuns On Debut
Two fighters delivered on their promises at The Inner Circle 19, which emanated live from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, June 19, and aired exclusively on live.onefc.com.
A Malaysian contender earned a US$100,000 contract with a knockout that left no room for doubt, while a Canadian teenage prodigy announced her arrival in explosive fashion.
Here’s what went down in the Thai capital.
Rifdean Demolishes Mozafari, Claims Six-Figure Contract
Rifdean Masdor authored the statement performance he needed, stopping Javad Mozafari via first-round knockout to claim the life-changing US$100,000 contract and a coveted spot on ONE Championship’s global roster.
The Malaysian came at his Iranian opponent with bad intentions from the opening bell, blasting him with piston-like straight punches that crashed through his guard and forced him into an immediate firefight.
Rifdean backed Mozafari into the ropes, trapped him in the corner, and sent punches careening into his head before switching to the body. One of those body shots stopped the 24-year-old Iranian in his tracks, crumbling him to the canvas and forcing the referee to administer an eight-count.
Mozafari returned to his feet, but the Sor Sommai product went right back to his suffocating attack. A wild combination, punctuated by two left hooks to the body, finished the job for good.
That highlight-reel finish was the exclamation point on a brilliant ONE Friday Fights campaign.
The 23-year-old Malaysian had won six of his seven promotional appearances and now, with five straight victories to his name and a knockout that silenced any doubt, Rifdean inserted himself firmly into the atomweight Muay Thai division. The win improved his record to 47-8.
Bahsous Blitzes Phontip In 89 Seconds
Olivia “Diamond” Bahsous wasted no time living up to the hype, stopping Phontip Khlongtoeiyouthcenter via TKO at the 1:29 mark of round one in their 102-pound catchweight Muay Thai clash.
The 16-year-old Canadian prodigy almost ran over the referee as the opening bell rang. She immediately threw herself straight into the clinch, going knee for knee with the Thai and then unleashing her elbows. A left elbow strike came over the top of Phontip’s guard and shook her.
Once the two separated, Bahsous blasted through her opponent’s guard with lefts and rights – a stinging right hand sent the 23-year-old Thai stumbling backward into the ropes. “Diamond” followed up with hooks to the head and body, overwhelming her foe until the referee stepped in.
Bahsous, a three-time Junior Muay Thai World Champion and three-time IFMA Gold Medalist, delivered on every ounce of promise that surrounded her arrival. With the 89-second TKO victory, she improved her career record to 16-1.
