Erdogan submits Elliott to stay undefeated in ONE Fight Night 48 heavyweight main event

Shamil Erdogan submitted Paul Elliott with a rear-naked choke at 2:28 of round two in the heavyweight MMA main event of ONE Fight Night 48 on Friday, October 2 at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium.

The bout headlined ONE’s U.S. primetime card from the historic venue. ONE had framed the winner as a possible challenger for the vacant ONE Heavyweight MMA World Title. Erdogan, the undefeated Turkish wrestler, left Lumpinee at 14-0. Elliott, the British knockout artist, arrived at 8-2 with one no contest and saw that clearest title path close for the night.

Erdogan, a former member of the Russian and Turkish national wrestling teams with his previous eight wins all by stoppage, took Elliott down early and spent much of round one grinding him against the canvas. Elliott kept standing back up; Erdogan kept dragging him down again.

Round two opened on the feet. Elliott landed low kicks, a right hand, and a spinning back kick that caught Erdogan’s shoulder. Erdogan did not stay there long. He backed Elliott into a corner, landed a body shot, scored another takedown, worked to mount, dropped elbows, moved to side control, and fired knees to the head. Elliott gave up his back looking for a way out. As he tried to stand, Erdogan locked the choke and forced the tap.

The heavyweight title remains vacant. Erdogan’s win keeps him undefeated and in the conversation for that shot.

ONE Fight Night 48 results

• Heavyweight MMA: Shamil Erdogan def. Paul Elliott by submission (rear-naked choke), 2:28 of round two
• Bantamweight Muay Thai: Parham Gheirati def. Nakrob Fairtex by unanimous decision
• Featherweight Muay Thai: Luke Lessei def. Charlie Guest by unanimous decision
• Flyweight MMA: Antonio Cesar def. Joshua Perreira by TKO (doctor stoppage), 5:00 of round one
• Bantamweight Kickboxing: Elbrus Osmanov def. Yi Yuxuan by split decision
• Featherweight Submission Grappling: Ruan Alvarenga def. Shoya Ishiguro by split decision
• Atomweight Muay Thai: Yu Yau Pui def. Marie McManamon by unanimous decision
• Featherweight Muay Thai: Arian Esparza def. Sam Fitzgerald by knockout, 2:35 of round one