Breaking Down All 3 Of Zebaztian Kadestam’s Final-Round Knockouts

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Zebaztian “The Bandit” Kadestam is riding a unique streak as he heads into his first World Title defense at ONE: REIGN OF VALOR on Friday, 8 March.

He has three victories in the world’s largest martial arts organization to date, and in every single one, he has knocked out his opponent in the final round.

The 28-year-old Swede — who returns to action in the main event at the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar —  dispatched two world-class rivals in the third stanza of their respective non-title bouts. 

Kadestam completed the hat trick when he finished a top contender with less than 30 seconds remaining in the fifth round to claim the ONE Welterweight World Championship in November.

This remarkable feat clearly showcases the Stockholm native’s power, but it also draws upon other traits that have helped to make him a World Champion — those being patience, durability, and an unbreakable spirit.

Before he defends his belt against Georgiy “Knight” Kichigin on Friday evening, take a look at how “The Bandit” authored his late finishes in The Home Of Martial Arts.

The Come-From-Behind Victory In Singapore

Kadestam answered a short-notice call to enter the ONE Championship ranks in May 2017, and the scale of the task at hand was massive.

He squared off against former ONE World Title challenger Luis “Sapo” Santos at ONE: DYNASTY OF HEROES and gave up massive amounts of experience. Despite that, he never doubted himself.

Although the veteran used his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and judo expertise to put the striker in some bad positions, Kadestam hung tough. The Swede felt his opponent tiring, and with one round left to try and turn the contest around, he shocked the world.

Santos attempted a labored takedown in round three, but he didn’t have the energy to pull it off. “The Bandit” sprawled heavily on the shot, unloaded a knee to the head, and immediately took top position.

He threw a couple of elbows, but returned to his previous strategy and knocked out Brazilian with a pair of knees to earn the victory.

It was the first time Santos had been stopped in five years and it brought an abrupt end to his 10-bout unbeaten streak.

The Fearless Performance In Kuala Lumpur

Kadestam and Agilan “Alligator” Thani went back and forth in an exciting three-round tussle at ONE: PURSUIT OF POWER in July, and with a shot at the ONE Welterweight World Title on the line, neither man wanted to back down.

“The Bandit” pushed hard first in the opening frame, as he stuffed the Malaysian hero’s takedowns and connected with a sharp array of strikes. Thani returned fire in round two with looping punches and a solid head kick, but his foe relished the war of attrition.

By the beginning of the third and final stanza, the Stockholm native sensed that Thani was fading and knew he had more than enough gas in the tank to unleash a forceful attack.

Kadestam walked “Alligator” down with no respect for the oncoming shots. The finishing sequence began with a whipping left hook, which dropped the Kuala Lumpur resident to the ground. 

He shrugged off his foe’s single-leg takedown attempt, and then rattled him with a jumping knee and a barrage of elbows to force referee Olivier Coste to stop the bout.

The World Title Win In Jakarta

Kadestam displayed his most mature performance to date at ONE: WARRIOR’S DREAM last November. Not only did he hand Tyler McGuire his first mixed martial arts defeat, but he also claimed the ONE Welterweight World Title.

The American’s grappling was a huge threat, but “The Bandit” navigated it well by stuffing the takedowns or returning quickly to his feet. McGuire’s efforts were for minimal reward, as the Swede constantly found a way to return the contest upright.

As the unbeaten dynamo ran out of ideas in the wrestling department, Kadestam picked up the pace with his striking. Tactically, he attacked the body with his right hand and the legs with his right kick to wear down the Washington native.

McGuire was clearly feeling the intensity of the battle and, knowing he was down on the scorecards, came out firing in the fifth stanza. However, Kadestam’s diligent work had paid off, as his rival was finding it difficult to keep up a tight guard.

With 30 seconds left in the frame, he saw an opening. He lunged at McGuire with a leaping right hand, which sent him crashing to the canvas.

“The Bandit” capitalized immediately by diving in with a solid knee to the head, and the bout was instantly over. Kadestam could have coasted to an almost-certain victory by decision, but he instead took the risk and was rewarded with a memorable knockout and the gold around his waist.

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