By:  | December 15, 2023 9:01 pm

Fights between opponents from Nepal and Pakistan have been few and far between in MMA. It was the latter country which came out on top when Ismail Khan met Rabindra Dhant in a flyweight bout at ONE Friday Fights 45.

Both men were coming off wins at Lumpinee Stadium coming into this fight. It was Khan who would secure his second victory at the venue, claiming a clear cut decision win.

Dhant missed with a right hand at the start of the opening round and Khan immediately tied him up in the clinch. The Nepali tossed him to the ground and moved immediately into mount.

He landed some punches and elbows before Khan slipped out and grabbed onto a single leg. The Pakistani transitioned to take Dhant’s back from a standing position.

Khan eventually got Dhant down but he worked his way up and they traded strikes as the round came to its conclusion.

Decision win

Dhant made a good start to the second round. In the opening minute he took Khan down and mounted him. The Nepali started landing some ground and pound and his opponent gave up his back.

Khan slipped out and got to his feet. They clinched in the corner and this time it was the Pakistani who secured the takedown forcing Dhant to spend the rest of the round either on his back or defending takedown attempts.

Khan landed a head kick at the start of the third and a scramble ensued. The Pakistani was working through the takedown and midway through the round he finally secured it.

He briefly took Dhant’s back and tried for an armbar but found himself back on the bottom with 90 seconds remaining in the fight. Khan eventually slipped out but the bell sounded before he could do any damage.

With very few meaningful strikes or submission attempts the judges didn’t have much to go on. But all three awarded the decision to Khan who improves to 7-0 while Dhant drops to 6-1.

Best of the rest

In the main event Soner Şen stopped Otop Or Kwanmuang in the opening round.  Chartpayak Saksatun did the same thing to Dabdam Por Tor Tor Thongtawee in the co-headliner.

ONE Friday Fights 45, Bangkok, December 15th
Soner Şen def. Otop Or Kwanmuang via KO (Punch) at 1:47 of R1
Chartpayak Saksatun def. Dabdam Por Tor Tor Thongtawee via KO (Punch) at 1:00 of R1
Pettasuea Seeopal def. Singmanee Surasakmontri via KO (Left hook) at 1:14 of R1
Charlie Singha Mawynn def. Silapetch Por Petchkaikaew via KO (Punches) at 2:28 of R2
Jaoinsee PKSaenchaigym def. Ratchamongkol Maethongbairecycle via Decision (Unanimous)
Apisit Fairtex def. Patrick Szana via Decision (Unanimous)
Omar El Halabi def. Yodtongthai Sor Sommai via Decision (Majority)
Jaruadsuk Sor Jor Wichitpadriew def. Sherzod Kabutov via Decision (Split)
Furkan Karabağ def. Lorenzo Di Vara via TKO (three knockdowns / uppercut) at 2:00 of R2
MMA: Suleyman Suleymanov def. Nursultan Toktorov via Submission (Guillotine choke) at 0:12 of R2
MMA: Ismail Khan def. Rabindra Dhant via Decision (Unanimous)