FIGHT ANNOUNCED ONE Fight Night 49: Magomedov replaces Rasulov to face Gabriel in Bangkok main event

Magomed Magomedov was handed a main event before he ever fought in ONE. He is 15-0, has finished his last five opponents, and takes the fight on short notice because Alibeg Rasulov was ruled out with an injury. His opponent has not lost in the promotion.

Lucas Gabriel is 26, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, and unbeaten in six ONE appearances. That run includes a submission of Gadzhimurad Amirzhanov and a June win over former lightweight MMA titleholder Ok Rae Yoon at ONE Fight Night 44. According to BJPenn.com, he also carries heavy hands to go with his submission game.

The stakes are clearest for Gabriel. A win could put him in the ONE Lightweight MMA World Title picture, and the champion, Christian Lee, defends against Tye Ruotolo at The Inner Circle 37 just hours earlier in the same venue.

Magomedov brings his own case. He is a multi-division champion on the regional circuit, including the OCTAGON Welterweight title, and six of his wins have come by decision, several of them 25-minute fights. That suggests he can go the distance with a finisher. ONE describes his style as the heavy grappling pressure typical of Dagestani MMA, which points to a grappler-versus-grappler contest.

Below the main event, Lee Seung Cheol returns after his ONE Fight Night 48 bout with Karen Ghazaryan was scrapped over his opponent's visa issues. He faces the undefeated Nazareth Lalthazuala in strawweight MMA. Two other injury replacements are rematches. Kongthoranee Sor Sommai steps in for Johan Estupinan against Taiki Naito in flyweight kickboxing, after beating Naito by decision under Muay Thai rules in 2023. Nontachai Jitmuangnon replaces Katsuki Kitano against Felipe Lobo in bantamweight Muay Thai; he beat Lobo by unanimous decision in May.

The main event will show whether a debutant with no losses can handle the toughest opponent he has faced, and whether Gabriel moves closer to a title shot.