Two ONE World Title Bouts Added To ONE 173
Two colossal World Titles clashes will headline ONE Championship’s return to Japan as the promotion stages its second monumental event in The Land of the Rising Sun later this year.
ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri takes place on Sunday, 16th November, at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena, featuring a featherweight kickboxing unification bout and a heavyweight MMA rematch that promises fireworks.
The main event sees a World Title unification bout as reigning ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Superbon faces interim titleholder Masaaki Noiri in what promises to be a striking masterclass.
Superbon has dominated the featherweight kickboxing division for years. The Thai striker brings devastating head kicks and an elusive boxing game that has made him one of the most feared competitors in the sport. He claimed his current belt in April 2024 after outworking Marat Grigorian to a unanimous decision victory in a technical showcase.
The 34-year-old then reignited his quest for two-sport superstardom – but he fell short in his pursuit of Muay Thai gold at ONE 170 this past January versus ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai.
Now he returns to his bread and butter to defend his kickboxing crown on enemy soil against a formidable star, where he looks to prove he’s still one of the best in the world.
After finding his feet in the promotion, Noiri showed his true form at ONE 170 as he chopped down Shakir Al-Tekreeti with leg kicks in the second round. That victory set up his interim title fight against featherweight Muay Thai king Tawanchai PK Saenchai at ONE 172, where he shocked the world and sent Saitama Super Arena into a frenzy.
Fighting before his home crowd, Noiri captured interim gold with a stunning third-round TKO. He caught the chin of the Thai star with a destructive left hook to ascend to new heights and punch his ticket to a winner-takes-all clash at ONE 173.
The co-main event features another blockbuster matchup as current two-weight MMA World Champion Anatoly Malykhin gets his rematch with reigning ONE Heavyweight MMA World Champion Oumar Kane inside Ariake Arena.
“Reug Reug” shocked the MMA world last November at ONE 169. The Senegalese powerhouse defeated the previously unbeaten Russian via split decision, capturing Malykhin’s heavyweight title to become the first African ONE World Champion in a historic upset.
Malykhin entered that bout as MMA’s first three-division World Champion whilst presenting an unblemished record and 100 percent finishing rate – making Kane’s victory all the more remarkable.
Kane employed perfect takedown defence and dangerous striking to outwork the Russian superstar across five gruelling rounds, proving his credentials on the sport’s biggest stage.
Since then, Malykhin has made his desire for redemption clear. He wants to reclaim his 26 pounds of heavyweight gold and restore his status as the division’s undisputed king.
Meanwhile, “Reug Reug” is out to prove his prominence is no fluke, and he seeks an emphatic finish in this highly anticipated rematch to cement his legacy as Africa’s premier martial artist.
More bouts are expected to be announced for November’s supershow in the coming months.
READ MORE: ONE Friday Fights 114: Full Card and How To Watch
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