On May 15, “The Kicking Machine” Superlek of Thailand, the reigning ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion, entered The Inner Circle 14 with a plan that ultimately backfired.
In their initial encounter, Abdulla “Smash Boy” Dayakaev secured a split decision victory, largely due to a powerful right hand in the opening round that dropped Superlek for an eight-count.
Despite Superlek’s strong comeback in rounds 2 and 3 with sharp elbows, powerful right kicks, and relentless clinch knees, two judges disagreed with the notion that he had done enough to overturn the initial deficit, leading to mixed reactions from the combat sports community.
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Reflecting on the bout, Superlek openly discussed the pivotal moments at the start of the fight.
“My plan went out the window early when I got caught by a solid punch,” he told ONE Championship. “Once I took that hit, I was forced to chase the fight and make up ground, but I barely remember most of what happened after that.”
“The Kicking Machine” added:
“I was planning to pace myself and fight calculated, not expecting to get caught like that, but I made a mistake and took the hit.”
Superlek is set to seek redemption for that contentious loss in the co-main event of The Inner Circle 25, taking place on Friday at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok.
Superlek promises tactical evolution in Abdulla Dayakaev rematch
For the upcoming rematch, Superlek has focused on more than just correcting his first-round error.
He has prepared for various scenarios to ensure he is equipped to handle whatever comes his way during the fight.
“Everyone expects me to push for the clinch like last time, but I’m going to stick to my style. If something isn’t working, I have my Plan B and Plan C ready to go,” he told ONE in his prefight interview.
Fans can watch the rematch live by purchasing The Inner Circle at live.onefc.com.
Edited by Joseph Schiefelbein
