ONE Fight Night 23 ‘Ok vs. Rasulov’ Play-by-Play & Results

ONE Championship ’s latest installment in its U.S. primetime series will host several key contests at the core of ONE Fight Night 23 . Sherdog's round-by-round coverage will kick off at 8 p.m. ET.

Muay Thai: Alexey Balyko vs. Stefan Korodi

Round 1

A 151.5-pound catchweight muay thai clash pitting Russia’s Balyko against Ireland’s Korodi kicks off festivities at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, mere hours after ONE Friday Fights 69 was completed at the same historic venue. The venerable Olivier Coste draws the officiating assignment. Pre-fight instructions have been given, and they are ready to go. Korodi moves forward behind a flying knee but misfires on the high-risk, high-reward technique. Balyko feeds the Irishman a leg kick, then another and another before circling away behind a left hook. Korodi connects with a counter overhand right but leaves his chin exposed. Balyko buckles his knees with a left hook. Sweeping hooks from both hands from the Russian, who looks sharp in his debut. He clips Korodi again and gets credit for a knockdown. Korodi looks to mix in his jab. Balyko fires another leg kick, then goes headhunting again. He misses his target. Leg kick from Korodi. He walks forward and wanders right into a devastating left hook. Down goes the Irishman for a second time. Coste starts the count, takes a closer look at Korodi and waves it off .

The Official Result

Alexey Balyko def. Stefan Korodi—KO (Punch) 2:42 R1

Kickboxing: Oumar “Reug Reug” Kane vs. Mamadou “Boucher Ketchup” Kamara

Round 1

They keep the line moving with an all-Senegal heavyweight kickboxing match between Kane and Kamara. Coste once again serves as the third man in the ring and salutes the crowd upon being re-introduced. No glove touch. Kamara moves forward behind a bizarre flying hammerfist, then gets warned for clinching. Kane circles on the outside. Another standing hammerfist from Kamara. Coste pauses the action to secure one of his gloves. Upon the restart, they paw at one another with jabs. Kamara looks like he has no business being in the ring. Kane floors him with a clubbing shot that followed a head kick. Kamara swings wildly, eats a left hook and hits the deck again. This time, he does not get back up .

The Official Result

Oumar Kane def. Mamadou Kamara—KO (Punch) 2:08 R1

Muay Thai: Aliff Sor Dechapan vs. Ellis Badr Barbosa

Round 1

Attention now turns to a catchweight muay thai affair pairing Malaysia’s Aliff with the United Kingdom’s Barbosa at 125.75 pounds. Coste administers the law and order. Both men float to the center. Barbosa introduces himself with a leg kick and eats a body kick for his troubles. They trade shots to the legs before Aliff feed a right hand over the top. Barbosa, his hands high, focuses on kicks to the legs. Aliff narrowly misses a spinning backfist. More leg kicks from Barbosa. Aliff shoots a one-two to the body and continues to land the harder shots. He sneaks in a left hook and follows it with a body kick. Barbosa getting outworked here with a minute to go in the round. Aliff connects with a jab and misses an elbow over the top. He pairs a body kick with a right hand over the top. Aliff lands a flying knee to the chest and a glancing spinning back kick to the body as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Aliff
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Aliff
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Aliff

Round 2

Barbosa greets his opponent with a push kick to the face to start the middle stanza. Aliff unloads with a multi-punch volley. Most of the shots miss. Barbosa pushes him to the corner and floors him with a left hook out of nowhere. Coste administers the count. Barbosa chases the finish upon the restart, swarming with punches to the body and head. Aliff appears to have recovered. He steps into a knee to the body, follows it with a slapping head kick to the body and delivers another knee to the body. Barbosa keeps his cool under duress, shoots a jab upstairs and connects with a push kick to the midsection. Aliff retaliates with a short-range elbows, then swings and misses with punches as the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Barbosa
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Barbosa
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Barbosa

Round 3

Likely anyone’s fight as Round 3 begins. Barbosa lands a left hook and dodges the return fire. However, Aliff pins him on the ropes and uncorks punches to the body and head. Barbosa can do nothing but stay in a defensive shell until the deluge subsides. Aliff triples up on his jab, corners Barbosa and connects with a spinning back elbow. An overhand right bends Barbosa on the ropes but he manages to stay upright. With a minute to go, it looks as though Aliff has reclaimed momentum. Aliff cuts loose with a few short-range elbows, corrals Barbosa on the ropes and misses on a flying knee. Barbosa circles out and lets his hands go as the fight ends.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Aliff (29-28 Aliff)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Aliff (29-28 Aliff)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Aliff (29-28 Aliff)

The Official Result

Ellis Badr Barbosa def. Aliff Sor Dechapan—Decision (Split) 3:00 R3

Mixed Martial Arts: Koha “Hiroba” Minowa vs. Jeremy Miado

Round 1

Mixed martial artists are next to the stage, as Minowa (13-5, 2-3 ONE) takes on Miado (12-7, 6-7 ONE) in a three-round strawweight tilt. The ubiquitous Herb Dean answers the call to referee. They touch gloves and get down to business. Miado presses forward against his shifty counterpart. Minowa tests the water with an inside leg kick, plows ahead with punches and shoots on the hips. Miado sprawls hard and scrambles free. Check hook from Miado, followed by punches from both hands. Minowa walks into a sweeping right hook from the Filipino standout. Miado sticks him with a clean one-two, drops him to a seated position and slams home a knee to the head. Minowa recovers enough to make a pass at a takedown, and Miado gets a yellow-card warning for grabbing the ropes. Minowa spins into a takedown but cannot keep his opponent on the ground. Miado gets backs to his feet and uncorks power punches from both hands. Minowa shoots on the hips and secures a takedown, then progresses to side control. Miado gets back to his feet, scoops up Minowa and lands a takedown of his own. Minowa scrambles out, gets back on the legs and hunts a takedown in response. Miado sprawls and eventually braces himself against the ropes, but Minowa is relentless and drags him to the canvas. He settles in side control, feeds Miado elbows and short punches and flirts with a kimura as the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Miado
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Miado
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Miado

Round 2

They greet one another in the center of the cage. Minowa light on his feet. Miado clips him with a one-two. Minowa comes up short on the return fire but manages to get in on the legs and secures a takedown less than a minute into the round. Dean repositions them away from the ropes. Minowa lands a few elbows, but Miado gets back to his feet. Minowa drops down on the legs once more. Miado sprawls, but the ropes interfere with his efforts. Minowa, glued to his hips, completes another takedown. Miado gets back to his feet, only to find himself defending another takedown. Minowa beginning to impose his will. Miado retreats to a corner, trades positions with his opponent and breaks free. Back in open space, Miado connects with a right hand over the top. Minowa carrying his hands precariously low. He shoots on the hips again, works a knee into the inner thigh and drags Miado to the canvas. A whizzer allows the Filipino star to stay upright but only briefly. Minowa drags him to the canvas and gets busy with ground-and-pound. Dean resets them away from the ropes. Minowa continues to score with short punches and hammerfists until the round ends.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Minowa
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Minowa
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Minowa

Round 3

What role will fatigue play, if any. Minowa marches forward behind punches and sends Miado’s mouthpiece flying with a clean left hand. He secures a takedown and settles in side control. Hammerfists pile up the points. Shoulder pressure pins Miado to the mat. Minowa postures with punches, escapes full guard and gets back to business in side control. Body-head combos from Minowa. Will be interesting to see if Miado has enough gas in the tank to get back to his feet. No luck yet. Two minutes to go in the fight. Minowa feeds Miado a series of hammerfists and climbs to full mount. Not looking good for Miado. Minowa fires away with short punches, elbow strikes and forearm shivers. Miado tries to free himself but eats a knee to the face for his efforts. Minowa, now in half guard, continues to pound away with punches and hammerfists. Miado getting the woodchipper treatment here. Minowa moves back to side control and feeds him punches and knees. Miado gets back to his feet in the closing seconds but goes nowhere.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Minowa (29-28 Minowa)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Minowa (29-28 Minowa)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Minowa (29-28 Minowa)

The Official Result

Koha Minowa def. Jeremy Miado—Decision (Split) 5:00 R3

Muay Thai: Ali Saldoev vs. Worawit “Black Panther” Madabram

Round 1

Action shifts back to the muay thai stylists, as Russia’s Saldoev locks horns with Madabram at a 139.25-pound catchweight. Coste draws the officiating assignment and runs through the pre-fight instructions. Madabram fires a body kicks. Saldoev answers with an inside leg kick. He presses Madabram toward the ropes and feeds him another leg kick to the inner thigh. Saldoev grabs the Thai clinch but eats a right hand on the break. He presses forward and Madabram checks his chin with a left hook. Saldoev hits the deck, necessitating a count from Coste. Madabram swarms with punches and pressure. Another left hook finds the mark and floors Saldoev a second time. A minute left in the round. Saldoev clinches in a bid to buy himself some time. Madabram connects with a body kick. Saldoev walks forward and sets off a wild exchange in the closing seconds.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 Madabram
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Madabram
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-8 Madabram

Round 2

They meet in the middle and pick up where they left off. Madabram connects with a kick to the leg, another to the body and resets. A perfectly timed head kick comes next and levels Saldoev where he stands. No need for a count.

The Official Result

Worawit Madabram def. Ali Saldoev—KO (Head Kick) 0:23 R2

Mixed Martial Arts: Tatsumitsu Wada vs. Wei Xie

Round 1

They keep the ball rolling with a flyweight MMA showdown between Wada (24-12-2, 5-5 ONE) and Xie (18-6, 8-3 ONE). Dean serves as the third man in the ring. They tap gloves and hit the gas. Xie sends on off-balance Wada careening backwards in their first exchange. Xie fires a leg kick, circles and avoids the clinch. Wada lands an overhand right. Xie connects with a kick to the lower leg, then lands a left hook upstairs and a right hook to the body. Wada clinches and backs his opponent into the corner. Not where Xie wants to be. He breaks free into open space. Xie sends a push kick crashing into Wada’s midsection. He follows with a kick to the inner calf. Wada closes the distance and narrowly misses an uppercut. They trade shots in the clinch. Wada not yet able to corral his opponent. One-two from Xie. Action slows with a minute to go. Careful to keep a safe distance, Xie fires and lands a one-two. Wada trips him to a knee, backs him into the ropes, clinches and secures a trip takedown. Heavy ground-and-pound follows. Xie gets back to his feet without absorbing much damage. Round ends with a tie-up in the corner.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Xie
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Xie
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Xie

Round 2

Xie cuts off Wada with a jab to the head and another to the body. Wada scores with a leg kick and shoots, only to be denied by an effective sprawl. Wada tries to clinch, but Xie breaks free. He steps into a right hand and once again crowd Xie at close range. They trade in the pocket. Wada backs his counterpart to the corner, scores with knees to the legs and forces him to carry weight. Xie showing signs of fatigue but finds the wherewithal to free himself and move into open space. Wada scores with his jab. Xie answers with a body kick. They trade right hands in close quarters before Xie connects with a knee to the body and a slashing elbow to the face. Wada lulls him into a false sense of security in the clinch and trips Xie to the floor. Ninety seconds to go in the middle stanza. Ground-and-pound from Wada, but nothing significant has landed. Dean resets them away from the ropes. Wada doing work in full guard with elbows and short punches. Xie swivels his hips for a potential armbar. No dice. Wada scores with hammerfists as the round closes.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Wada
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Wada
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Wada

Round 3

Wada closes the distance right out of the gate. Xie meets him with a nice short elbow. They trade shots in tight. Xie lands a leg kick but cannot keep Wada at bay. Wada backs him into the corner. Xie manages to traverse out to the center, forcing Wada to exchange. Sharp right hand from Xie. Wada answers with an elbow and follows with a knee, then clinches along the ropes. Midway through the round, and the outcome is still up in the air. Wada feeds his opponent a strong jab and shoots a right hook to the body before drawing Xie back into the clinch. Wada narrowly misses a standing elbow. Xie connects with a knee up the middle. Wada answers with one of his own. They separate briefly and trade. Wada delivers a slashing elbow upstairs, clinches and leans on Xie. A minute to go. They trade close-rang elbows. Wada lands a right hand over the top. Extremely difficult round to score. They clinch with 20 seconds left. Wada still looking for trips. They trade knees and punches. Xie wobbles Wada with a late elbow over the top.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Xie (29-28 Xie)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Wada (29-28 Wada)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Xie (29-28 Xie)

The Official Result

Tatsumitsu Wada def. Wei Xie—Decision (Unanimous) 5:00 R3

Muay Thai: Luke Lessei vs. Bampara Kouyate

Round 1

All eyes are on the ONE featherweight muay thai division, where America’s Leisse takes on France’s Kouyate. Coste administers the law and order. Pre-fight instructions have been given. Coste checks with the judges and timekeeper, then gives the green light. Leisse presses forward with leg kicks and forces the Frenchman to switch stances early. Kouyate answers with a stiff jab. Leisse marches onward and shoots a left hook to the body, followed by a push kick. Kouyate leans on his jab. Leisse pins him along the ropes. The American now bleeding from a cut above his left eye. Multi-punch volley from Kouyate. Rough start for Leisse. Kouyate beating him to the punch. Frenchman lands a kick to the body, circles away and stays out of danger.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Kouyate
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Kouyate
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Kouyate

Round 2

Leisse moves forward at the start of the middle stanza. Kouyate greets him with two hard kicks to the lead leg. Leisse backs him into the corner and unleashes his hands. Kouyate avoids damage. Leisse trying to draw out the Frenchman with feints. Kouyate pins him on the ropes and cuts loose with multiple punches. Leisse continues to apply pressure and continues to absorb damage. Kouyate could not have asked for a better start. A minute to go in Round 2. Kouyate connects with a body kick. Leisse closes the distance behind a series of standing elbows. Leisse lands an elbow over the top that seems to give Kouyate pause. The Frenchman gets back to his jab. They trade in the center, with Kouyate getting the better of it.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Kouyate
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Kouyate
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Kouyate

Round 3

They embrace out of respect to start Round 3. Kouyate connects with a straight left to the body. Leisse presses forward behind a standing elbow. Not much has gone right for the American thus far. Leisse lands a right hand and follows with an elbow over the top. Kouyate ties him up, separates and retreats. Leisse closes in, cuts loose with right hands and wobbles the Frenchman. A volley of punches connects. Kouyate collapses, necessitating a count from Coste. Leisse swarms on the restart and eats an uppercut. He drops to a seated position and cannot get up in time to answer the count. Wild finish .

The Official Result

Bampara Kouyate def. Luke Lessei—TKO (Punch) 2:08 R3

Mixed Martial Arts: Ji Won Kang vs. Kirill Grishenko

Round 1

Business picks up with a heavyweight MMA showcase matching Kang (7-2, 4-2 ONE) with Grishenko (5-2, 2-2 ONE). Dean steps in to make sure the combatants mind their Ps and Qs. They touch gloves, acknowledge one another and set the action in motion. Kang bounces on the balls of his feet. Grishenko paws with his jab and draws a warning from Dean for extending his fingers outward. Kang darts in and out, eats a body kick and shrugs off an attempted clinch. Leg kick from Grishenko. Kang struggling to navigate the size difference. Grishenko feeds him a right hand, catches a kick and threatens a takedown. Kang steps forward with an overhand left. Grishenko ducks a left hand, crashes into the clinch and backs the South Korean into the corner. Foot stomps, knees and short punches follow. Obviously not where Kang wants to be against the monstrous Belarusian. He tries to circle off, but Grishenko pins him back in to corner. Kang getting big brothered here. Grishenko leaning on Kang as time dwindles. Dean beckons them to increase the action. Grishenko content to hang out in the clinch for as long as he is permitted to do so. Kang separates with 30 seconds left in the round. Grishenko commands the center of the cage and fires a kick to the body to end the period.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Grishenko
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Grishenko
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Grishenko

Round 2

Kang needs to alter the narrative here. Grishenko paws with his jab, slams home an inside leg kick, circles and triples up on the jab. Kang swings wildly. Grishenko counters with a leg kick, then clinches along the ropes. Kang once again carrying his counterpart’s weight. Dean figures to have a shorter leash this time. Grishenko separates and lands a right hand on the break. Length a massive issue for Kang so far. Grishenko stays busy with his jab and connects with a knee to the gut. Swelling starting to show above Kang’s left eye. Grishenko eats a knee but dives back into the clinch and pins his opponent in the corner. He lands a spinning back elbow on the break. Kang picks up the pace with his punches but still comes up short. An accidental clash of heads results in a pause to the action. Kang emerges with a significant hematoma in the middle of his forehead and a small cut above his right eye. Grishenko continues to pump out the jab and uses deft head movement to avoid return fire. A minute left and the signs are not encouraging for Kang. Another thudding jab from Grishenko. They trade at close range. Kang scores with an elbow but eats a right hand over the top as time expires.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Grishenko
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Grishenko
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Grishenko

Round 3

Kang likely needs a finish. He steps forward behind a left hook, but Grishenko grabs double underhooks and pushes him into the ropes. Kang avoids the takedown and moves back to the center of the ring. Grishenko still wisely using his jab. A clubbing right hand connects for the Belarusian. He backs Kang into the corner and shoots knees to the body. Kang answers and manages to free himself. Grishenko snaps back his head with an uppercut. Kang’s movements are labored now and understandably so. Grishenko backs him into the corner yet again. Dean asks for more action. Kang bleeding from the mouth as he fights for his survival in close quarters. Grishenko leaning on Kang against the ropes. Dean restarts them in he center. Grishenko gets back on his jab. Kang still coming up short on his punches. Grishenko sticks out his jab and cuts off the oncoming Kang. The South Korean dives forward, eats a few shots and connects with some of his own. Grishenko staggers him with a right hand. Fifteen seconds left, and Kang’s hands are on his hips. Grishenko closes with a body kick.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Grishenko (30-27 Grishenko)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Grishenko (30-27 Grishenko)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Grishenko (30-27 Grishenko)

The Official Result

Kirill Grishenko def. Ji Won Kang—Decision (Unanimous) 5:00 R3

Submission Grappling: Tye Ruotolo vs. Jozef Chen

Round 1

Submission grapplers now find themselves in the spotlight, as America’s Ruotolo squares off with South Africa’s Chen. Dean answers the call to referee. Hand fighting begins. Ruotolo shoots on a takedown. Chen defends the American’s initial advances. Ruotolo probes for openings in the standup position. He grabs a collar tie and looks to sweep the leg. The South African teenager’s defense holding up so far. Neither man has established an advantage nearly three minutes into the match. Ruotolo nearly scores with a judo throw. Chen shows excellent balance and stays upright. Ruotolo executes a double-leg takedown with 6:30 left on the clock. Chen utilizing his butterfly guard, as Dean repositions them away from the ropes. Ruotolo unable to pass the guard yet. Ruotolo gets to half guard, nearly gets swept and maintains top position. Four minutes to go. Stellar guard from Chen, who continues to keep the Hawaiian at bay. Both men hunt leg locks. Chen sets of a scramble but cannot get back to his feet. Ruotolo crowding his opponent from a kneeling position. He stands, reassesses the situation and moves back into Chen’s guard. One minute to go. Does not look like a submission is going to materialize for either man. Ruotolo staying active on top but cannot penetrate his counterpart’s defenses. Chen threatens with a heel hook in the waning seconds.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ruotolo
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Ruotolo
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Ruotolo

The Official Result

Tye Ruotolo def. Jozef Chen—Decision (Unanimous) 10:00 R1

Muay Thai: Nico Carrillo vs. Saemapetch Fairtex

Round 1

ONE on Prime Video 23 has arrived at its bantamweight muay thai co-main event, where Scotland’s Carrillo toes the line against Thailand’s Saemapetch. Coste draws the officiating assignment. They touch gloves, and Carrillo connects with a push kick to the body. The Scotsman commands the center early. Saemapetch explodes forward but misfires. Carillo traps him in the corner with punches and elbows. Inside leg kick from Saemapetch. Carrillo presses forward, as Saemapetch ties him up in the corner. They trade jabs. Leg kick from Carrillo. More pressure from the Scotsman, who fires a standing vertical elbow through his opponent’s defenses. Nice jab from Saemapetch, followed by a body kick. Carrillo answers with a left hook. Carrillo connects with a series of savage knee strikes, four or five of them in a row. They exchange wildly until the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Carrillo
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Carrillo
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Carrillo

Round 2

They meet in the middle, and Carrillo immediately forces Saemapetch onto his back foot. Inside leg kick from Saemapetch, who follows up with a sharp jab. Carrillo moves forward anyway. A left hook from the Scotsman drops Saemapetch. He zeroes in on his target following the count. Saemapetch snaps back his head with a powerful straight left. Carrillo corners him yet again, but Saemapetch manages to break free. Carrillo throws an inside leg kick and drops the Thai star with another left hook. Carrillo closes in following the count, swarms with punches and drops Saemapetch to his knees for a third and final knockdown. Two jabs and a right hand finished it .

The Official Result

Nico Carrillo def. Saemapetch Fairtex—TKO (Punches) 2:03 R2

Mixed Martial Arts Interim Title Fight: Rae Yoon Ok vs. Alibeg Rasulov

Round 1

A battle for the interim ONE lightweight championship closes the show, as Ok (17-4, 4-1 ONE) sets his sights on the unbeaten Rasulov (14-0, 0-0 ONE) in the headliner at 170 pounds. A failed hydration test made Rasulov ineligible to compete for the title, so the stage essentially belongs to Ok. Dean serves as the third man in the ring. They trade leg kicks at the start. Ok gets his jab going. More leg kicks from the South Korean, followed by a jab. Rasulov answers with a low kick of his own. Ok retreats in the face of significant pressure and eats a right hand. Rasulov powers into the clinch, backing up his efforts with knees to the legs and shoulder strikes upstairs. Ok trapped in to corner for the time being. Rasulov drops into a single-leg takedown, ties up his opponents legs and pops away with punches. Ok gets back to his feet and stands in the corner. Rasulov delivers a knee to the body and a right hand over the top. He gets back on a single-leg but fails to bring down Ok. Rasulov presses him back into the corner, shooting short punches to the body. Forty seconds left in the round. They trade elbows at close range as time expires.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Rasulov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Rasulov
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Rasulov

Round 2

Ok opens with his jab and leg kicks. Rasulov presses forward, connects with a check left hook and drives forward behind an overhand right. He presses Ok into the ropes, then separates. Ok scores with a leg kick, then another. They circle one another in the center. Ok follows a jab with a low kick. Rasulov swings and misses with hooks from both hands. They clinch briefly. Rasulov breaks free. Ok lands a leg kick and follows it with a jab. Rasulov scores with hooks upstairs, first a left, then a right. He closes the distance with punches. Ok unleashes an uppercut and a right hook. Much better round for the South Korean so far. Rasulov presses into the clinch and corners Ok with 1:45 left on the clock. Dean asks for action. They trade at close range, then separate. Looks more and more like the fight Ok wants. Ok lands a knee to the body inside the clinch. Rasulov continues to pursue clinches. Ok gets back to open space and rips a body-head combination. They dirty box in the center of the ring until the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ok
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Ok
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Rasulov

Round 3

Ok stars with a leg kick, ducks a counter and narrowly dodges an overhand right. Inside leg kick from Ok, followed by a body kick. Rasulov still holding up well as the fight deepens. He presses into the clinch and lands a pair of elbows over the top. They dirty box along the ropes, trading uppercuts. Inside leg kick from Ok. Rasulov steps forward with a clean one-two. They clinch again and trade elbows in tight. Rasulov works the collar tie and fires an elbow over the top. They jockey for superiority in the clinch, as Dean asks for action. Rasulov feeds him short punches to the body and lands an uppercut on the break. Two-punch volley from Ok. Again, they clinch. They exchange elbows and knees. Rasulov presses his opponent into the corner and fires knees to the body. Tough round to score. Another elbow from Rasulov, who follows it with a takedown. Thirty seconds left in the period. Ok threatens with a triangle, builds a base and gets back to his feet in the waning seconds.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Rasulov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Rasulov
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Rasulov

Round 4

Back at it to start the championship rounds. They trade in the middle of the ring, and both men land. Ok follows a jab with a sharp cross. Rasulov answers with chopping punches and lures him back into the clinch. He lands an elbow on the break and presses forward with a left hook. Ok scores with a jab, then connects with a knee to the body. Rasulov looks for another tie-up but eats a three-punch burst instead. They dirty box in the corner, trading short punches and elbows. Ok bleeding from a significant cut near his left eye, perhaps the result of an elbow strike. Jab from Rasulov, who clinches and delivers a pair of knees to the body. He backs Ok into the corner again. Grueling stuff here. Ok tries to break free, only to be pushed back into the corner. Blood streaming from the cut. Dern pauses the action to have the cageside physician examine the cut. Concern likely growing in the Ok camp. Ok steps forward behind a right hand upon the restart. Rasulov clinches and sets off another dirty boxing exchange. Pretty clear this is where he wants to be at this point. Rasulov lands another elbow. Ok answers with one of his own. A minute left in the round. Rasulov showing no signs of slowing down. More dirty boxing. Ok not able to create enough space to operate. Rasulov backs him to the corner and feeds him more elbows.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Rasulov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Rasulov
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Rasulov

Round 5

Ok needs a big round and perhaps a stoppage. He lets his hands go and connects in combination. A shovel uppercut finds the mark before he backs up Rasulov with a blocked head kick. Rasulov clinches and feeds him short punches. He follows a left hook into the clinch and presses Ok into the corner. Shots to the body and head follow. Rasulov lands a spinning back elbow off the break and sends a glob of Vaseline flying into the front row. Ok cuts loose in space, only to be drawn back into the clinch. Collar-tie knees from Rasulov. Ok looking understandably weary. Rasulov presses him into the corner and hammers way with punches to the body and shoulder strikes. Ok responds with an elbow but cannot keep Rasulov off of him. Rasulov attacks a leg on an attempted takedown. Ok defends well and cuts him off with a kimura. Rasulov bails on the takedown and settles back into the clinch. Dean asks for action. Nice one-two from Ok, who looks to be making a final stand here. He lands a knee to the body. Rasulov draws him back into the clinch and shuts down a potential rally. Rasulov not taking his foot off the gas. Ok connects with a multi-punch flurry. Rasulov clinches. Ok breaks free with punches. Fifteen seconds to go. Rasulov clinches and eats more shots but manages to weather the storm.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ok (48-47 Rasulov)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Ok (48-47 Rasulov)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Ok (49-46 Rasulov)

The Official Result

Alibeg Rasulov def. Rae Yoon Ok—Decision (Unanimous) 5:00 R5