ONE Championship made a highly anticipated return to Japan after a four-year hiatus, delivering an exciting night of action in Tokyo. MMA News is here to provide you with a comprehensive recap of all the thrilling highlights from the event.
The last time ONE Championship graced the “Land of the Rising Sun” was at ONE: Century in 2019, featuring renowned fighters like Angela Lee, Demetrious Johnson, Janet Todd, and Christian Lee. Now, in 2024, the Asian promotion has resumed its numbered events, starting with a spectacular return to Japan.
Local fans enjoyed a showcase of stars, including the debut of Japan’s own Takeru Segawa, a former three-weight K-1 champion. Initially set to face Rodtang Jitmuangnon, Takeru found himself in a title bout against Superlek Kiatmoo9 for the flyweight kickboxing championship after Rodtang’s injury-related withdrawal. Despite a spirited effort, Takeru fell short, and Superlek successfully defended his title over five rounds.
The co-headliner featured a clash for the lightweight submission grappling title, with Kade Ruotolo defending his belt in a rematch against Tommy Langaker. Despite Langaker’s impressive achievements in IBJJF competitions, he succumbed to another decision loss after 10 minutes.
Sage Northcutt’s return was eagerly anticipated, but a last-minute withdrawal led to John Lineker stepping in for a showdown against former two-time ONE champion Shinya Aoki. Aoki secured a quick submission victory, expressing his thoughts on the promotion in a passionate post-fight interview.
The event also showcased the return of fan-favorite Yoshihiro Akiyama, facing kickboxing legend Nieky Holzken in a special-rules bout. Holzken emerged victorious with a first-round TKO, drawing criticism on social media.
Additional highlights included Garry Tonon’s submission win over Martin Nguyen, Marat Grigorian’s KO victory against Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong in kickboxing, and Rade Opacic securing a win in heavyweight kickboxing.
With the event concluded, check out the full results below for a detailed overview of ONE 165: Superlek vs. Takeru.
