There’s a lot of buzz surrounding the lightweight mixed martial arts clash between rising stars Halil Amir and Maurice Abevi this Friday, April 21.
Both men are undefeated in professional MMA and have finished every opponent to date, so fans are expecting something spectacular from their co-main event showdown at ONE Fight Night 9: Nong-O vs. Haggerty on Prime Video in Bangkok, Thailand.
Before Amir and Abevi go toe-to-toe in U.S. primetime, let’s take an in-depth look at their enticing matchup.
What’s At Stake?
Both competitors are fresh faces in ONE, with Amir having appeared once and Abevi making his debut.
However, the Turkish star’s first outing was so impactful that he’s already become a major player in the lightweight MMA division.
The 28-year-old knocked out longtime star and former ONE World Title challenger Timofey Nastyukhin in the second round of their battle at ONE Fight Night 2, extending his perfect record to 8-0.
That victory also earned Amir the #4 spot in the divisional rankings, so another impressive showing would help solidify him as a serious threat to challenge for the ONE Lightweight World Title.
For Abevi, this is an opportunity to make his own powerful debut statement.
The 23-year-old Swiss phenom will square off with a ranked opponent right away, giving him the chance to supercharge his start in the organization and announce his own World Title ambitions.
Their Recent History
All that either man has in their history is victory.
Amir’s win over Nastyukhin was sensational, but it was no surprise to anybody who’d seen him fight before joining ONE.
The Turkish slugger had already faced some tough competition on the regional circuit and notched up six knockouts with one submission.
Meanwhile, Abevi’s professional career only started in 2020, but despite a global pandemic going on, he still managed to race to a 6-0 slate with three knockouts and three submissions.
Competing mostly in Germany, he’s also taken on some tough rivals – even toppling two fellow undefeated opponents in his last two bouts before signing with ONE.
Both combatants have confidence and momentum on their side. It’ll be interesting to see who can manifest that mental edge when they take to the ring in Bangkok.
How They Match Up
Both athletes will bring high-level skill sets to Friday’s contest.
Amir is an out-and-out striker whose main focus is staying on his feet and letting his sharp punches and kicks rip – with a particular penchant for working on the counterattack.
As a southpaw, his left side is most powerful, with a punishing straight left hand, thudding left kick, and piercing left knee.
Abevi is also a solid striker, utilizing his long limbs to score with accurate straight punches. Plus, he doesn’t mind stepping inside to let his hands fly and keeps his opponents guessing with unorthodox shots.
The Swiss man is the craftier grappler of the two, and he sees the ground as his most likely route to victory.
Still, he’d have to get Amir down there, and that’s not an easy feat given the #4 contender’s balance and quick reflexes.
Chances Of A Finish
With 14 stoppage victories from their 14 combined fights to date, it’s fair to predict that one of these competitors will provide a finish inside the distance.
Amir looks to be the more concussive striker, but his foe also has the power to get the job done on the feet.
However, Abevi thinks it’s a done deal if he can get his man to the canvas and utilize his potent submission game.
Though both men will be ready for the full 15 minutes, don’t expect it to last that long, as fireworks are all but guaranteed.
