Two years ago, Abdulla Dayakaev was working as a security guard in Russia, his thoughts of becoming a world champion fighter a mere pipe dream.
Now, ONE Championship’s latest signing is turning those dreams into reality and vowed to “smash everybody” – including the bantamweight Muay Thai champion Superlek Kiatmuu9 – after earning a US$100,000 contract.
Dayakaev finally got the call-up to the main roster with a sixth win and a fourth knockout on ONE Friday Fights last weekend, celebrating his 23rd birthday with a body-shot stoppage of Italy’s Alessio Malatesta in the first round at Lumpinee Stadium.
ONE’s Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, who also awarded him a 350,000 baht bonus for the finish, decided he had now seen enough to unleash a dangerous new threat upon his 145 lbs division.
“I want to say thank you Chatri for the contract and bonus. I come here to become a champion, I'm not joking – I come here to take the belt,” Dayakaev told the Bangkok Post backstage after his win.
“No, I’m not joking when I say I smash everybody. This guy [Malatesta] is a very good guy, but I’m better. I’m better than everyone.”
It’s been a long journey to the top for Dayakaev, who was still spinning his wheels and making ends meet in Makhachkala in 2023.
His “younger brother” and training partner there, Asadula Imangazaliev – whom Dayakaev insists is “next” for a ONE contract – convinced him to join him at the Venum Training Camp gym in Pattaya, however, and the rest is history.
It is at Venum where Dayakaev has flourished under the tutelage of head coach Mehdi Zatout. “He came for the first time in my gym two years ago and he was very young and stubborn,” former ONE fighter Zatout told the Bangkok Post.
“Now he’s got a lot of maturity and he’s a man. He has a lot of dedication and very good behavior now in the ring. He has a lot of potential and, yes, I believe he can be the champion – he will never give up until he is the champion.”
Dayakaev repaid the compliment to his coach, who is somewhat of a father figure to most of his fighters.
“Mehdi is a really good man, a real Muslim man,” Dayakaev said. “He helps with everything. I can ask him anything.
“When I need money, he gives it to me. When I need help, he gives me. He works with me, he listens to me. I don’t know what more he can do. He is a really good brother.”
Dayakaev has also repaid his coach with unwavering effort – so much so he needs to be told to stop training every now and then for his own good.
“Mehdi sometimes says, ‘Hey Abdulla, finish, go home, you need to rest, come back tomorrow’, and I say, ‘No, I need a contract, I need the belt, I need too much money’. I come here to smash somebody, let’s go.”
Zatout has affectionately nicknamed the heavy-handed Dayakaev the “Smash Boy” – and it’s easy to see why.
“You can ask my coaches – after me, all my coaches have pain in their hands after I punch,” Dayakaev recalled of his sparring sessions.
As for the first potential victim to be “smashed” in ONE Championship, Dayakaev called for former title challenger Felipe Lobo, who defeated Saemapetch Fairtex last Saturday at ONE Fight Night 28.
“I want to fight maybe around May 16 or 30,” he added. “Because now I am going home for Ramadan month. Chatri gave me my contract, and next time I will take the US$50,000 bonus – let’s go.”