“He did his homework” – Superlek says he resorted to leg kicks to counter Takeru’s immense forward pressure

They don’t call Superlek Kiatmoo9 ‘The Kicking Machine’ for nothing.

The reigning ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion lived up to his moniker once again, delivering a stellar performance against the debuting Japanese combat sports superstar Takeru Segawa. Squaring off inside Tokyo’s Ariake Arena, both fighters went toe-to-toe in a memorable back-and-forth war, but in the end, it was Superlek who secured the victory via a unanimous decision.

Throughout the contest, ‘The Kicking Machine’ peppered his opponent’s lead leg, which played a big role in his ability to come out on top and retain his 26 pounds of ONE Championship gold. In a ONE 165 post-fight interview, Superlek said:

“I believe that my leg kick definitely had some effects on Takeru. I must say that he did his homework very well. I've been studying with the team on how to take him down.”

He extended his win streak to nine in a row and added another legendary name to his resume, further establishing himself as one of the pound-for-pound greatest strikers on the planet.

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Takeru reveals the brutal injury he suffered against Superlek

Following the contest, Takeru was taken to a local hospital. Not uncommon for a fighter who had just engaged in an all-out war, but ‘The Natural Born Crusher’ revealed that he sustained a particularly nasty injury in a post on his Instagram:

“Superlek was really strong,” Takeru wrote. “I tore a muscle in my thigh and can't even walk now. I can't think of anything. I will live my life with a positive outlook.”

It’s an unfortunate turn of events for the debuting superstar, but with it being just the fourth loss of his career, we’re confident that Takeru will make his triumphant return to the Circle once he healed up and is back to 100%.

If you missed any of the action or want to relive an epic night in ONE Championship history, the ONE 165 replay can be watched on demand via watch.onefc.com.