Why ONE 172: Takeru vs Rodtang on Sunday is a Must-Watch Show
ONE Championship is preparing for one of the biggest shows in its history in the morning of Sunday, 23 March in Japan.
Martial arts fans will finally witness the clash of two of the world’s greatest strikers at ONE 172: Takeru vs Rodtang as Japan’s Takeru Segawa aims to pick up a historic victory in front of his home fans against Thai megastar and former ONE Flyweight Muay Thai world champion Rodtang Jitmuangon in a flyweight kickboxing super-fight.
The show will also feature five world championship bouts across Muay Thai, Kickboxing, and MMA.
In Kickboxing, Tawanchai PK Saenchai defends his featherweight world title against Japan’s Masaaki Noiri, Jonathan Di Bella fights the legendary Sam-A Gaianghadao for the interim strawweight belt, while Phetjeeja Lukjaoporongtom defends her atomweight strap against Japan’s former K-1 champion Kana Morimoto.
In Muay Thai, an undisputed bantamweight world champion will be crowned as interim champion Nabil Anane meets titelholder Superlek Kiatmoo9 in a highly anticipated rematch.
The 20-year-old Algerian, who is on a stunning six-win-streak, aims to become only the second undisputed ONE world champion from the MENA region after former ONE Flyweight Kickboxing world champion Morocco’s Ilias Ennahachi, who is incidentally the only man to beat Superlek at ONE Championship.
Another championship bout sees former champion Adriano Moraes and Yuya Wakamatsu clash in a rematch for the vacant ONE Flyweight MMA world title. Moraes won the first bout in March 2022 via third-round submission.
The event also includes a host of exciting matchups. Kickboxing and MMA legends Marat Grigorian and Shinya Aoki face Japan’s Kaito Ono and the Philippines’ Eduard Folayang.
In a big kickboxing clash, former ONE Bantamweight MMA world champion John Lineker makes his debut in the sport fourth-ranked contender Hiroki Akimoto. Also, Morocco’s Zakaria El Jamari hopes to bounce back from two consecutive defeats against the undefeated Hyu Iwata.
In another anticipated bout, Adrian Lee – the youngest brother of two-division MMA world champion Christian Lee and the retired former ONE Atomweight MMA world champion Angela Lee – hopes to make it three wins from three against Japan’s Takeharu Ogawa
ONE 172: Takeru vs Rodtang kicks off at 10 AM Mecca on Sunday, March 23. Fans can watch it worldwide on pay-per-view.
