Magomed Akaev Stakes Title Shot Against Unbeaten Lucas Gabriel After Months Of Delays
Magomed Akaev has waited long enough. Two postponements. Months of unfinished business. The 29-year-old Dagestani standout finally gets his chance to prove he belongs among ONE Championship’s lightweight elite when he faces Brazilian grappling specialist Lucas Gabriel at ONE Fight Night 40: Buntan vs. Hemetsberger II on Prime Video on Friday, February 13, live from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok.
The matchup was originally scheduled for ONE Fight Night 38 before injury intervened, then rebooked for ONE Fight Night 39 before circumstances shifted again. Now fully healthy and carrying a 10-1 professional record built on sanda striking and Dagestani grappling, Akaev enters determined to carve out his place in the promotion’s unforgiving lightweight division.
“My first loss didn’t change my plans at all, because I didn’t lose due to a lack of skill,” Akaev said. “I wasn’t worse than my opponent either in striking or in grappling. Now I’ve moved up a weight class and I’m ready to start winning again.”
That first loss arrived in his promotional debut last June at ONE Fight Night 32, a razor-close split decision to Ibragim Dauev that felt more like confirmation he belonged than evidence of inadequacy. Rather than viewing the result as a setback, Akaev treated it as fuel to propel himself to his best form. The Russian standout sees Friday’s bout against Gabriel as the perfect opportunity to announce his arrival properly.
Gabriel brings dangerous credentials to Lumpinee Stadium. The Nova União black belt carries a 10-1 record built through relentless pressure and elite grappling, submitting previously undefeated Gadzhimurad Amirzhanov last October while grinding through the ONE Friday Fights circuit to preserve his pristine promotional record. That Brazilian jiu-jitsu pedigree creates the kind of stylistic clash that defines careers.
“I think both Lucas and I have gained enough experience before coming to ONE,” Akaev explained. “Now we’ll see who is better prepared — the Brazilian school versus the Dagestani school. I’m not a typical representative of the Dagestani combat sports school, where most fighters are wrestlers. I just want to win the fight and raise the flag of my country and my region.”
The contrast between Brazilian submission artistry and Dagestani combat discipline sets up compelling theater, but Akaev doesn’t believe their lightweight MMA battle will unfold on his opponent’s terms. Known as a sanda specialist with sharp striking and physical composure, the Russian has studied Gabriel’s tendencies closely and sees opportunity where others see danger.
“Lucas has very strong physical attributes and excellent grappling, but his style is quite predictable,” Akaev said. “I already know how to beat him, and you’ll see it in the fight.”
Despite both fighters possessing strong ground credentials, Akaev expects to dictate where the battle takes place. His confidence in keeping the fight standing reveals strategic clarity beyond typical pre-fight bravado — he’s identified weaknesses in Gabriel’s game that suggest exploitable patterns.
“I’m going to fight him standing, and I’m confident he won’t be able to take me down,” Akaev said.
The implications stretch far beyond a single result. Victory over an opponent who’s yet to taste defeat inside the promotion could immediately elevate Akaev’s standing in the highly competitive lightweight division, transforming him from regional prospect into legitimate contender.
“A win over Lucas would give me a strong chance to become a title contender, because he has had many fights in this league and won all of them,” Akaev said. “I’m really looking forward to the fight to show what I’m truly capable of.”
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