ONE Championship organization confirmed that it will deploy a series of regular events called ONE SAMURAI in Japan, starting with the opening event taking place at Ariake Arena (Tokyo) on April 29.
This is considered a strategic step to expand ONE Championship's market in one of the "cradles" of world martial arts, while increasing revenue from large-scale events.
The highlight of the event is the rematch between Takeru Segawa and Rodtang Jitmuangnon, competing for the world kickboxing temporary championship belt. In the previous encounter in March 2025, the Thai boxer won a quick knockout victory after just over a minute of competition.
Returning after the defeat, Takeru showed a recovery in form when defeating a top competitor to regain his position. The Japanese boxer aims to take revenge right at home, while aiming to close his career with a major title.
In the opposite direction, Rodtang continues to pursue the ambition to affirm his position in many sports. The former Muay Thai flyweight champion of ONE aims to win more kickboxing belts to complete the goal of becoming a boxer dominating the two competition systems.
Besides the highlight match, the event also had a notable showdown between Yuki Yoza and cockfighting champion Jonathan Haggerty. Yoza entered the title fight after a series of impressive achievements against top opponents.
In the MMA event, flyweight champion Yuya Wakamatsu will defend the belt against Avazbek Kholmirzaev - a young opponent highly rated for his ability to finish the match effectively.
The ONE SAMURAI event is expected to create a major boost for the martial arts market in Japan, and at the same time consolidate ONE Championship's position in the global competition in the field of combat sports.