A potential showdown against fresh lightweight kingpin Tye Ruotolo—who wrested the crown from Christian Lee at The Inner Circle 37 earlier that day—looms for Magomed Magomedov following his successful promotional premiere. The 31-year-old fighter sustained his flawless professional standing by convincing two of the three cage-side evaluators to award him a split-decision verdict at ONE Fight Night 49. Although Lucas Gabriel mounted an aggressive surge during the closing moments, it was not enough to overturn the overall judgment. This crucial victory instantly places the newcomer into the upper echelon of championship contenders.
Stepping into the headlining slot on brief preparation, the athlete took the place of the sidelined Alibeg Rasulov at Bangkok’s iconic Lumpinee Stadium on Friday evening. Entering the arena with an unmarred 15-0 tally, Magomedov faced a formidable opponent in Gabriel, a 26-year-old combatant possessing an 11-1 background and prior invincibility inside the organization. The late-notice replacement immediately aimed to establish dominance when the contest commenced. He swiftly targeted a leg attack and successfully dragged the Brazilian onto the mat during the opening frame.
When action resumed in the middle stanza, the undefeated competitor aggressively pursued further ground combat, though Gabriel showcased improved scramble defense to remain safe. Standing back up, the younger fighter executed a sharp strike to the head, thwarting Magomedov’s subsequent attempt to bring him down. The final round featured dramatic exchanges as the newcomer initially smothered his rival on the floor. However, Gabriel executed a late positional reversal, pummeling his adversary with a barrage of knee strikes before time expired.
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