‘The Knockout I’m Most Proud Of’ – Rambolek Reflects On Massive Victory Over Abdulla Dayakaev At ONE Fight Night 39
Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon delivered on every promise he made ahead of ONE Fight Night 39 on Prime Video, dismantling Abdulla “Smash Boy” Dayakaev in emphatic fashion to establish himself at the top of the heap in ONE Championship’s stacked bantamweight Muay Thai division.
Competing in the main event this past Saturday, January 24, from Bangkok’s legendary Lumpinee Stadium, the 22-year-old Thai standout showcased patience and tactical clarity before scoring a devastating second-round knockout over one of the division’s most feared punchers.
Rambolek used kicks and feints early to disrupt Dayakaev’s rhythm while limiting exposure to the Russian’s explosive hands. That discipline paid off in round two, when he slipped underneath an aggressive combination, ripped the body, and followed with a clean hook upstairs to end the fight at the 2:41 mark.
After the contest, Rambolek expressed both relief and pride in executing his plan exactly as envisioned.
He said:
“I’m very happy, and it’s such a huge relief that I am able to win and able to achieve whatever I promised today. The plans that I had planned also worked, so I’m very happy.
“It was part of the game plan to see how he would react to my punches or kicks. So I was afraid, like if I threw a kick, he would punch me back immediately, like counter with that, but then I could say that he couldn’t react as fast as I expected. So in the second round, I switched up my game plan. I just made the game plan faster, and I just threw in more kicks.”
The knockout also underscored the depth of Rambolek’s preparation.
“Smash Boy” is one of the most feared punchers in the bantamweight Muay Thai division, having finished six of eight opponents since making his debut in the world’s largest martial arts organization in November 2023.
Having studied Dayakaev’s previous fights closely, however, Rambolek identified a vulnerability no opponent had fully exploited. And he executed it when it mattered most.
The 22-year-old said:
“I said that I spotted his weakness, and the fans saw it on the ring, and I was able to show that his weakness was the body shot, because I studied his fight, and I did not see anyone [who] was able to throw the body shot against him before.
“He got punched a lot in the face, but then he was able to just tough it out. So I thought, yeah, maybe the body shot would be the answer. Maybe it’s not the best knockout, but it’s the knockout I am most proud of.”
Rambolek Signals Readiness For World Title Opportunity
With the victory, Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon extended his winning streak to five, improved his career record to 67-14, and earned a US$50,000 performance bonus in the process. More importantly, he sent a clear message to the top of the bantamweight Muay Thai division.
Dayakaev is a teammate of reigning ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nabil Anane, and finishing the Russian in decisive fashion has only intensified discussion around the division’s World Title picture.
Asked whether he feels ready for a World Championship opportunity, Rambolek did not hesitate:
“I am ready if the opportunity presents itself. I think it’s time.
“I ran into him already today, and I already said hi to him. I told him I wanted to fight him, and yeah, I think it would be entertaining if I got to fight him.”
While acknowledging that Anane’s height and reach present a different challenge, Rambolek framed the potential matchup as a puzzle to be solved rather than something to avoid.
Anane has been undefeated in his last nine appearances, spanning a climb from flyweight to featherweight across two striking sports.
In the aftermath of his most complete performance to date, Rambolek knows that any step toward the division’s summit begins with careful study.
The Superbon Training Camp product said:
“I have to go back and study him. Of course, I have to go back and ask my team what they think.”
