ONE Fight Night 48 Muay Thai And Kickboxing Results: Gheirati, Lessei, Osmanov, And More Earn Pivotal Wins

The Muay Thai and kickboxing action kept the crowd at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium on their feet at ONE Fight Night 48: Erdogan vs. Elliott, which aired live in U.S. primetime on Friday, October 2.

ONE Championship’s global fan base witnessed an Iranian warrior’s thunderous return from a year on the sidelines, an American featherweight’s dedication to outwork a gutsy Brit, and so much more.

Here’s what went down with all the Muay Thai and kickboxing fights inside Thailand’s most iconic combat sports arena.

Gheirati Makes Emphatic Return With Decision Over Nakrob

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After a year away from competition, Parham Gheirati made up for lost time immediately, outpointing Nakrob Fairtex by unanimous decision in the ONE Fight Night 48 co-main event.

The 22-year-old Iranian fighter threw himself onto the Fairtex Training Center veteran from the opening bell of their bantamweight Muay Thai clash, cracking him with punches. Nakrob began landing counter rights at will, as the tide seemed to turn in his favor. But a surprise left punch cracked the Thai’s chin and dropped him for the first eight-count of the contest.

Gheirati desperately tried to stay out of the clinch in the second round, but the 27-year-old Thai secured a vice grip and drove knees into his body. When the Iranian finally broke free, he punished Nakrob with punches, only to receive powerful right punches in return. At one point, both men planted their feet and traded blows with no regard for their own safety.

The third round picked up right where the second left off. The two blasted each other with punches and wore each other down in the clinch, until a stiff jab from Gheirati put his adversary on the canvas for the second time. Shaken but not defeated, the Thai rose, answered the referee’s eight-count, tucked his chin to his chest, and went at the Iranian. However, Gheirati kept corking punches through his guard until the final bell.

The win was a statement return for the young Iranian after 12 months on the sidelines, earning him his 14th professional victory.

Lessei Outworks Guest, Closes In On Top-Five Rankings

Patience and reach proved to be the winning formula for Luke “The Chef” Lessei, as he outpointed Charlie Guest by unanimous decision in their featherweight Muay Thai battle.

After a brief exchange on the outside, both men entered the clinch in the first round. The Iowa native fired knees into his rival’s body and then threaded elbows through his guard. Guest brushed it off and kept pushing forward, targeting the 30-year-old American’s chin with punches to stay in the game.

The Brit, also 30, looked strong in the clinch during the second stanza, cranking down on Lessei’s neck and driving knees into his torso. The American broke free and launched jabs and punches. Guest, however, slithered back into the clinch where he again locked up his adversary’s neck and sent knees into his stomach.

With the contest looking even, the third and final round proved to be decisive. Lessei avoided the clinch as best he could and used his rangy jab to stay on the outside to damage Guest’s left eye. Every time the Englishman advanced, he looked for the clinch. However, he was met with leather that kept him at the end of the American’s long arms.

The decision win, which moved Lessei’s record to 10-3, builds momentum for “The Chef” as he tries to pierce the division’s top-five rankings and earn another crack at old foe and now-reigning ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Nico Carrillo.

Osmanov Spoils Yi’s Debut, Scores Fourth Straight Win

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Elbrus Osmanov had a successful U.S. primetime debut, as he did just enough to claim a split-decision win over Yi Yuxuan in their bantamweight kickboxing tilt. However, it was not without controversy.

The first round exploded with calf kicks from both sides, but soon, Osmanov fired punches at his 25-year-old opponent. A warning for excessive clinching then interrupted his momentum. Yi, making his first promotional appearance, responded with body kicks that rattled his rival’s ribcage, but a clean left punch from Osmanov shook up the Chinese fighter to close the stanza.

A battle of kicks opened the second, with the Dagestani attacking low and Yi going high. Osmanov again resorted to the clinch and picked up two more warnings, the last of which saw the referee issue a yellow card and a subsequent purse deduction. Feeling the pressure in the third, Osmanov came out blasting with punches and kicks, but nothing unsettled Yi, who attacked relentlessly with kicks of his own until the final bell.

Despite the yellow card, the judges gave the nod to Osmanov, whose fourth straight win on the global stage nudged his record to 16-1.

Yu Holds Off McManamon To Retain Top-Five Ranking

A war of attrition played out over three rounds before #5-ranked contender Yu Yau Pui earned a unanimous decision over former ONE World Title challenger Marie McManamon in their women’s atomweight Muay Thai showdown.

Both fighters dove straight into the clinch in the first round, where the English-Irish veteran stuffed elbows into Yu’s face. The 33-year-old Hong Konger tried to punch her way free, but McManamon’s lock was too tight to break.

Right back into the clinch they went in the second, where Yu pummeled her 36-year-old rival with punches that damaged her nose and both eyes. McManamon fired back with elbows that inflicted damage on the KF 1 product’s left eye, keeping the contest competitive.

Showing no signs of slowing down, the pair went back into the fray in the third and final stanza. Yu started attacking with knees and elbows on the inside, and she did a better job keeping the fight on the outside as well, tagging her English-Irish adversary with right punches to close out the round.

The decision keeps the Hong Kong striker firmly planted at the #5 spot in the women’s atomweight Muay Thai rankings, improving her career record to 30-5.

Esparza Proves Freddie Roach’s Work Paid Off, Gets The Knockout

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WBC United States Champion Arian Esparza opened the show by earning the first stoppage victory of his ONE Championship career. The Oakland native finished WBC New Zealand Champion Sam Fitzgerald via knockout at 2:35 of round one in their featherweight Muay Thai clash.

The 23-year-old American sized up his towering opponent from the outside, tracking him around the ring as Fitzgerald threw high kicks. Esparza pinned the 21-year-old Kiwi against the ropes, absorbed a left hook, and countered with an overhand right that dropped him for the first eight-count.

Fitzgerald answered the count, but the California-based striker went right back on the attack. He followed his rival into the corner, cracked him with a right hand to the body, then went upstairs with the same weapon – and Fitzgerald fell where he stood.

The victory, which moved Esparza’s record to 14-3, is proof that his work with renowned boxing coach Freddie Roach has paid off in the most emphatic way.

Source: ONE Championship