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With careers, perfect records and world title dreams demanding answers before the final bell, here are five burning questions about ONE Fight Night 42.
#1 How many fighters can keep their undefeated records intact?
Five fighters take to the ring at ONE Fight Night 42 with zero combined losses between them. MMA’s welterweight main event is at the center of this.
Chase “Mannimal” Mann is 7-0 with five stoppages after a dominant ONE debut over Isi “Doxz” Fitikefu last January. In front of him is Dzhabir Dzhabrailov, 6-0, and every victory comes in the end.
The Turkish wrecker has concluded all of his promotional fights in a combined time of less than three minutes. A win for either man could position him for a shot at ONE Lightweight and Welterweight MMA World Champion Christian “The Warrior” Lee.
Aslamjon Ortikov adds another compelling subplot. The Uzbek standout owns an unblemished 23-0 career record and is 9-0 in ONE. He looks to extend that streak against Jordan “Panda Kick” Estupinan, who aims to bounce back in this flyweight Muay Thai matchup after the first loss of his career last September.
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Karen Ghazaryan and Joshua “Flyin Hawaiian” Perreira complete the undefeated contingent. The 24-year-old Armenian enters his promotional debut with a 5-0 record and a 100 percent finish rate against Hiroba Minowa in strawweight MMA.
Perreira returns with a perfect 5-0 record and takes on Gilbert Nakatani in a US Flyweight MMA showdown that opens the card. Something has to give on April 10.
#2 Can Sam-A continue to defy Father Time?
At 42 years old, Sam-A Gaiyanghadao continues to rewrite the rules of what is possible in combat sports.
He has one of the most notable resumes in the sport: Inaugural ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion, ONE Inaugural Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion, ONE Inaugural Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion and a host of other accolades throughout the legendary Thai circuit.
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Despite all their accomplishments, the Evolve MMA affiliate is eager to get closer to another opportunity against current ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion Prajanchai PongSuphan PK.
To do so, you must avoid a real danger in Elmehdi “The Sniper” El Jamari at ONE Fight Night 42.
The Moroccan owns a 27-2 record and announced himself on the world stage with a brutal first-round knockout of Thongpoon PK Saenchai. It comes with no intention of letting the momentum of a legend gain momentum.
A fourth ONE world title would cap one of the most extraordinary careers in combat sports. Sam-A is as motivated, as dangerous and as hungry as ever – proof, at 42, that greatness has no expiration date.
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#3 Will Suakim manage to achieve seven consecutive victories?
Suakim Pongsuphan PK has been one of the most consistent players in ONE and his momentum shows no signs of slowing down.
The former three-division Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai world champion has a career record of 155-60 and a promotional list of 7-2 in his bantamweight Muay Thai clash with Vladimir Kuzmin, including five finishes.
His six-fight winning streak is built on quality, capped by a $50,000 performance bonus for a knockout over Jake “The One” Peacock at ONE 173 in Tokyo last November.
That finishing power, delivered on the sport’s biggest stage, has placed Suakim firmly in the bantamweight world title conversation. A seventh straight win would be hard to ignore.
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With newly crowned ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon seeking his first defense, a dominant performance could position Suakim as the favorite for a title shot.
Kuzmin is not an easy task. The Russian brings a technical and dangerous arsenal and has shared the world stage with ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan “The General” Haggerty and “Elbow Zombie” Muangthai PK Saenchai.
#4 Can Iwamoto get revenge on Leon?
When Dante Leon and Kenta Iwamoto last met in 2023, Leon took a submission victory. Three years later, the rematch has more weight and much more intrigue.
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León has continued to build his case as one of the promotion’s elite fighters since that meeting. The two-time IBJJF No-Gi World Champion earned victories over Bruno Pucci and Tommy Langaker, challenged ONE Welterweight Submission Wrestling World Champion Tye Ruotolo, and comes in as the man to beat in the division.
He may be the heavy favorite in this welterweight submission wrestling matchup, but Iwamoto is no ordinary opponent.
The Japanese standout is a judo and BJJ black belt, a three-time winner of the ADCC Asia and Oceania trials and one of the most technically refined wrestlers to make his promotional debut in recent times.
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In the three years since their first encounter, he has perfected every facet of his game, adding Greco-Roman wrestling to an already formidable arsenal and bringing a physicality that few at this level can match. Iwamoto arrives with the genuine belief that this time the outcome will be different.
For León, it’s about maintaining his position at the top of the division. For Iwamoto, it’s about making a statement that resets the conversation entirely.
#5 Can Páez achieve two victories in a row?
This fight was planned for February before illness forced Black Panther to withdraw. It’s finally here, and Diego Páez arrives after the best performance of his career.
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His victory over Johan “Jojo” Ghazali at ONE Fight Night 32 was one for the books. The 19-year-old was considered one of the most dangerous contenders at flyweight, and Paez outclassed him with a powerful, composed display that announced his arrival as a legitimate force.
Black Panther represents a significant step forward. The Thai fighter returns in this flyweight Muay Thai match on a four-game winning streak, including stoppages of Johan Estupinan and Ali Saldoev.
His aggressive, pressure-filled style and finishing ability make him a nightmare for anyone who loves to fight, and a war is exactly what this promises to be.
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Both men have proven that they deliver when it matters most. A win for Black Panther would propel him further into the upper echelons of the division, while Paez returns with a chance to make it two fights in a row against his toughest test yet at ONE Fight Night 42.
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