What we know so far about wild “Japan against the world” ONE 172 card 

As if the card for ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang wasn’t big enough, ONE Championship has bolstered its return to Japan with even more striking superstars.  

The action goes down on Sunday, March 23, inside Saitama Super Arena. In the main event, Japanese kickboxing megastar Takeru Segawa meets former flyweight Muay Thai king Rodtang Jitmuangnon.  

But on Friday, 31 January, ONE revealed several other fights that have been added to the fold at its official press conference in Japan. 

One of the biggest additions comes is the form of a ONE Interim Featherweight Kickboxing World Title fight. This will happen between the division’s reigning Muay Thai king Tawanchai PK Saenchai and Japan’s own Masaaki Noiri.  

The duo are fresh off prolific wins last week at ONE 170. There, Tawanchai dismantled kickboxing ruler Superbon while Noiri wrecked Shakir Al-Tekreeti.  

Elsewhere, former ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Champions Jonathan Di Bella and Sam-A Gaiyanghadao will collide for the interim strap.  

Then, Marat Grigorian takes on Japan’s Kaito Ono. And on top of all that, former ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Hiroki Akimoto takes on former ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion John Lineker in what’s expected to be a thrilling throwdown. 

Chatri Sityodtong promises ONE 172 will be “most-watched event” in Japan

ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang has all the potential to be the biggest card of the year. In fact, ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong is excited for the organization’s return to Japan. 

The card is stacked with Japan’s greatest strikers and the best from around the globe, and Sityodtong is eager to see who prevails victorious this March. 

“For ONE 172, it will be the most-watched event in Japanese martial arts history. Around the world, people will be watching and focusing on Japan,” Sityodtong said during the official press conference on Friday.  

“The theme for ONE 172 is the very best of the best from Japan against the world.”