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Nicolas Atkin

ONE Championship is still planning for Takeru Segawa to make his debut in Tokyo, but the martial arts promotion may no longer wait for Rodtang Jitmuangnon.
A clash between Japanese kickboxing icon and the ONE flyweight Muay Thai champion was being lined up almost immediately after Takeru signed in April.
The 32-year-old former K-1 Kickboxing champ is still yet to step into the ring in ONE, however, while Rodtang is busy preparing for a blockbuster title defence against his fellow Thai Superlek next week.
“We definitely want to do Rodtang and Takeru, but these big fights – just like Rodtang and Superlek – they take a lot of co-ordination, because a lot of parties are involved,” ONE chairman and CEO Chatri told the Post on Wednesday.


“So we will see. I’m optimistic, but I don’t want to announce anything until everything is signed and done.
“If we can’t make Takeru versus Rodtang then we would slot him quite quickly against one of the many great strikers we have on the roster. He’s ready to go. He’s itching.
“I think it would be in Japan, that’s our gut right now. We would love to do it in Tokyo. Takeru is their biggest combat sports star. After Tenshin [Nasukawa] went to boxing, Takeru has become the face of martial arts right now in Japan.”

Chatri confirmed ONE has plans to return to Tokyo, likely to be in early 2024, having not hosted an event in the Japanese capital since a pair of blockbuster shows in 2019.
“We have a big event in the Middle East in Q4, followed up very quickly by Japan. It’s a 20,000-seater,” he said. “We haven’t announced the dates but we have a lot of very fun plans in the works.
“I also haven’t announced the four US events in 2024 yet, but we’re gonna go to some major cities and some major, major stadiums.”
Andrade hits back at ‘joke’ Haggerty over ONE super fight delay claim
Chatri also confirmed his team is still working on a deal to host ONE’s first event in South Korea.
“It’s one step at a time. We work on multiple countries at any given point in time. I can tell you South Korea is one of them. We always want at least a six-month lead time to make sure we execute well, especially when it’s a new country.
“We’re talking to multiple countries in Europe, multiple States in America, there are new Asian countries we’re working on, and then our regular circuit of events.”

ONE has been largely confined to the 1,800-capacity Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok in 2023, in line with the launch of its weekly Friday Fights events at the famed venue.
Just three of its monthly main roster shows, which are broadcast on Amazon’s Prime Video streaming service in the US have been held at bigger stadiums – January’s Fight Night 6 at Bangkok’s Impact Arena, March’s Fight Night 8 card at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, and May’s on-ground US debut at Denver’s 1stBank Centre
“It’s an ongoing book,” Chatri said. “This year was a chapter of a record level of events every Friday, and I felt a duty to bring back Muay Thai. This year was Muay Thai heavy.
“If you think this was a big year for ONE with 60 events, next year we have even more. but let’s see what happens. There’s a lot of moving parts.”


ONE Championship: Yod-IQ Pimolsri secures contract, eyes rematch with Abdulla Dayakaev

ONE Championship: Superbon insists his longevity, success are rooted in discipline over sacrifice

ONE Championship: Mohammad Siasarani finally gets coveted contract – now he wants the belt

ONE Championship: Liu Mengyang believes win over Tawanchai is ‘turning point of my career’

ONE Championship

ONE Championship: Takeru ‘itching’ to make his debut – and may not wait for Rodtang, Chatri says

Takeru Segawa (right) with ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong at a press conference in Tokyo. Photos: ONE Championship

Rodtang Jitmuangnon celebrates after his victory at ONE Fight Night 10 in Denver. Photo: ONE Championship

‘Sexyama’ is likely to be a headline attraction if ONE makes its debut in South Korea. Photo: ONE Championship

ONE Championship: Smilla Sundell wary of a bloodbath against ‘strong’ Allycia Rodrigues – ‘she cuts people’

Allycia Rodrigues in action against Janet Todd at ONE Fight Night 8 in Singapore. Photos: ONE Championship

Smilla Sundell speaks to Mitch Chilson after winning the ONE strawweight Muay Thai title at ONE 156.

ONE Championship: Andrade hits back at ‘joke’ Haggerty over super fight delay claim

Fabricio Andrade (left) will fight Jonathan Haggerty for the vacant bantamweight kickboxing title in November. Photos: ONE Championship

Rodtang Jitmuangnon celebrates after winning the ONE flyweight Muay Thai title from Jonathan Haggerty in Manila.

Asa Ten Pow (right) trades kick with Han Zi Hao.

ONE Championship: Thanh Le and Ilya Freymanov set for interim title bout after Andrade vs Haggerty is pushed back

Thanh Le will face Ilya Freymanov at ONE Fight Night 15 in Bangkok. Photos: ONE Championship

Thanh Le knocks out Garry Tonon with ground-and-pound. Photo: ONE Championship.

Tang Kai celebrates his featherweight title win over Thanh Le at ONE 160. Photo: ONE Championship.

Ilya Freymanov celebrates a knockout win over Martin Nguyen at ONE on Prime Video 2.

ONE Championship: Superlek insists Rodtang is ‘not afraid of me’, admits ‘we couldn’t run from each other any longer’

Superlek Kiatmookao (right) is the early betting underdog against Rodtang Jitmuangnon. Photos: ONE Championship

Superlek celebrates his win over Tagir Khalilov at ONE Fight Night 12.

Superlek walks off after knocking down Tagir Khalilov at ONE Fight Night 12.

ONE Championship: Fabricio Andrade vs Jonathan Haggerty pushed back to November’s Fight Night 16 main event

Jonathan Haggerty and Fabricio Andrade are now set to fight in November. Photos: ONE Championship

Tawanchai will defend his featherweight Muay Thai title against Superbon in October.

Jarred Brooks (right) is still yet to defend the strawweight MMA title he took from Joshua Pacio in December.

Sport

Martial Arts

Kickboxing

Muay Thai

CEO Chatri Sityodtong says that ONE will ‘slot Takeru in quite quickly’ against another opponent if they have to
Promotion still plans to have Japanese kickboxing icon fight in Tokyo, with 20,000-seat venue set to host event


CEO Chatri says ONE Championship will ‘slot Takeru in quite quickly’ against another opponent if they have to, with 20,000-seat Tokyo venue set to host event.
