Sanzhar Zakirov Stops Ryosuke Honda, Nails Down Contract at ONE Friday Fights 54

Sanzhar Zakirov emerged victorious and nailed down a One Championship contract with a second-round technical knockout of Ryosuke Honda in their ONE Friday Fights 54 strawweight showcase on Friday at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Zakirov was quick to take the center and begin pushing his foe back with measured attacks to the head and body before landing a knee below the belt, leading to a pause in the action. Zakirov got back to cornering Honda before successfully taking him down to the canvas. However, the South Korean was quick to make his way back to his feet. Nevertheless, a relentless Zakirov managed to lock both his hands behind Honda’s knees a few seconds later and proceeded to slam him to the canvas and take his back. However, Honda managed to safely make it back to his feet once again. Zakirov continued with his forward pressure, landing elbows and punches on his cornered counterpart before once again securing a takedown and unleashing ground-and-pound on him. Later, he landed a head kick on the break as both competitors ended the first round on their feet.

Honda found himself back on the canvas 10 seconds into Round 2, with Zakirov looking to improve position on top of him. However, the 32-year-old was able to fend off his opponent’s submission attempts and make it back to his feet. “Tornado” continued to outwork Honda, even on the feet with his body and head kick attacks. After successfully taking down Honda once again, Zakirov hunted for the submission while raining blows from top before the South Korean escaped back to his feet. There, he was met with a barrage of punches and knees that left him wobbling all around the ring, forcing referee Herb Dean to step in at the 3:35 mark of the second round.

Meanwhile, Yryskeldi Duisheev submitted Ismail Khan with a rear-naked choke in the first round of their flyweight meeting. The end came at the 4:30 mark of Round 1.

Both fighters came out exchanging a steady diet of leg kicks and punches before Duisheev sneakily completed a double-leg takedown to ground his opponent. While “The Krygz Finisher” managed to control Khan for some time, the Pakistan national held onto an underhook that allowed him to get back to his feet. After exchanging a few strikes on the feet, Duisheev was able to get his foe down to the mat once again thanks to a lazy leg kick attempt. However, Khan once again tactically made it back to his feet, only to be pinned against the ropes and eventually slammed right back to the canvas. While Duisheev unleashed several knees to Khan’s body from side control and made his way to mount, the latter muscled his way back to his feet to shoot a takedown of his own that was denied.

A visibly gassed Khan then once again shot in for a takedown, only to be shucked off and eventually have his back taken. Once Duisheev managed to secure the body lock, it was not long before he sunk in the rear-naked choke to secure the submission with 30 seconds to go in the first frame.

In other action, Aslamjon Ortikov valiantly fought his way to a unanimous decision over Watcharaphon Singha Mawynn in their 129-pound catchweight muay thai headliner; Pompet PK Saenchai walked away with a unanimous decision after engaging in a back-and-forth catchweight muay thai clash with Suriyanlek Por Yenying at 132 pounds; Tubtimthong Sor Jor Lekmuangnon received a nod from all three judges in a 112-pound catchweight muay thai contest against Khunsuk Sor Dechapan; Petbanrai Singha Mawynn earned a hard-fought unanimous decision against Petrit Nokkhao Kormor11 in a 112-pound catchweight muay thai tilt; Maisangkum Sor Yingcharoenkarnchang outstruck Jaoinsee PK Saenchai in their 118-pound catchweight muay thai battle on his way to a unanimous decision; Yoddoi Kaewsamrit knocked out Nongchamp Luckybuntherng in their 117-pound catchweight muay thai clash at 2:22 of Round 1; Ferzan Cicek secured a unanimous decision against promotional debutant George Mouzakitis in a bantamweight muay thai tilt; Francisca Vera clawed her way to a split decision over Celest Hansen in an atomweight muay thai contest; Petlampun Muadablampang recorded a knockout victory at 1:39 of Round 2 against Hiroto Sameshima in a 128-pound catchweight muay thai clash; Rustam Yunusov laid it all on the line in a flyweight muay thai contest against Ramu Araya to earn a unanimous decision; and Nonthakit Tor Morsri returned to winning ways with a unanimous decision over Koki Saito in a 143-pound catchweight muay thai battle.