Hiroki Akimoto welcomes Wei Rui at ONE Fight Night 22

A highly touted promotional newcomer faces top-ranked bantamweight kickboxer Hiroki Akimoto in his first assignment under the ONE Championship banner.

Wei Rui makes his maiden appearance at ONE Fight Night 22 on Prime Video against the former ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion.

This U.S. primetime spectacle airs live from the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on May 3.

Aikimoto is hailed as one of the most prolific kickboxers of his generation. In fact, he currently holds a 6-2 record in the world’s largest martial arts organization.

ONE X in March 2022 marked a significant moment in the Japanese man’s career when he took the ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title from Capitan Petchyindee.

However, his reign didn’t last long as a split-decision loss to Petchtanong Petchfergus eight months later left Akimoto without the crown he had fought so hard to claim.

Since then, Akimoto has been waiting for the opportunity to put himself back on the division’s highest pedestal.

The 31-year-old faces no ordinary opposition in his return to action.

Wei Rui stands in Hiroki Akimoto’s way

Wei Rui made headlines this past March when he signed an exclusive deal with ONE.

The Chinese superstar stands tall among the elite pound-for-pound kickboxers on the planet today.

His most notable achievement was when he won the K-1 World Grand Prix Lightweight Championship Tournament in February 2017.

Although he relinquished his K-1 gold in March 2018, this didn’t stop him from bolstering his stature in the sport. Since then, Wei has embarked on an impressive 20-bout winning streak.

Now, the Henan native sets his sights on a new chapter in his professional career as part of the ONE roster.