Tarik Khbabez Overwhelms Alain Ngalani In ONE Super Series Debut

When ONE Championship announced the introduction of ONE Super Series bouts, Hong Kong’s Alain “The Panther” Ngalani jumped at the opportunity to return to the kickboxing arena and showcase his striking skills against Tarik Khbabez.

However, it was the former two-time Heavyweight Superkombat World Champion from Holland who put on a memorable performance at ONE: PINNACLE OF POWER, emerging victorious against Ngalani in Macau on 23 June.

Khbabez needed just under three rounds to score a knockout, finishing the 42-year-old with a combination that left him dazed and exhausted on the canvas. The official finish came at 1:49 mark of round three.

Ngalani, originally of Cameroon and now representing Hong Kong’s Impakt MMA, started the contest by moving well, circling Khbabez while attacking with a plethora of kicks and boxing combinations.

Khbabez, however, took his time, landing punches whenever he saw an opening. Ngalani absorbed the damage, but began to show signs of fatigue just before the end of the first frame.

In the second round, Khbabez appeared to be the fresher man when he came out of his corner, as “The Panther” was noticeably slower and less mobile.

After a right hand connected for Ngalani midway through the round, Khbabez fired right back and kept the Cameroonian on the defensive for the rest of the round.

In the third and final stanza, Khbabez delivered the finishing touches, capitalizing on Ngalani’s fatigue with fierce combinations against the ropes.

After a sustained attack, he finally collapsed onto the canvas.

Ngalani tried his best to pick himself up, but he failed to beat the 10-count, giving Khbabez a knockout win and a triumphant ONE Super Series debut.

Khbabez scored an impressive finish over a popular member of the ONE roster, improving his career record to an impressive 43-5-1.

Ngalani’s kickboxing record drops to 25-8-1 (2 NC) in defeat.