Tang Kai once again proved why he remains the king of the ONE featherweight division. The Chinese star defended his ONE Featherweight MMA World Championship with a fourth-round TKO win over Shamil Gasanov at ONE Fight Night 43 on May 15 inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The fight appeared competitive in the early stages, but Tang gradually seized control by targeting Gasanov’s legs and breaking down his movement round by round.
The Decisive Finish
The finish came after a brutal calf kick dropped the Russian challenger to the canvas in Round 4. Tang Kai immediately followed up with hammerfists to force the stoppage. Speaking to ONE Championship after the fight, the champion explained that the final kick was not random. He revealed he was testing how much damage Gasanov had already sustained before fully attacking the injured leg. The victory improved Tang Kai’s professional MMA record to 20-3 and earned him a $50,000 performance bonus from the promotion.
Tang Kai’s Strategy and Awareness
Tang Kai remained calm throughout the contest and methodically worked on weakening Shamil Gasanov little by little. Instead of rushing for a finish, the Chinese fighter consistently landed low kicks while also defending the Russian’s wrestling attempts. Gasanov is renowned for his grappling ability, but Tang’s takedown defense prevented him from gaining momentum. After the bout, Tang Kai spoke candidly about the moment he realized the end was near. In his interview with ONE Championship, he stated: “No, I just tried to calf kick to know how he feels. I could feel that he got hurt. He got hurt, so I kept kicking.”
That simple adjustment completely altered the fight’s trajectory. Once Gasanov’s movement slowed, Tang Kai increased the pressure with combinations and more attacks to the legs. The final kick in the fourth round left the challenger unable to maintain his balance.
Post-Fight Reflections
Tang Kai later expressed satisfaction with his overall performance, noting that his team had meticulously prepared for Gasanov’s wrestling-heavy style. He praised his opponent while also crediting his training camp for the outcome. In another interview with ONE Championship, Tang Kai said: “I feel good. I feel happy. Shamil is a very good opponent, and the team knew he had good wrestling and he was a good athlete, so that’s why in this fight we prepared everything for him. And we trained very hard. I just enjoyed this fight.”
ONE Fight Night 43 is currently available on demand for Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.
