“No one I would enjoy fighting more” – Takeru explains his burning desire to take on Rodtang 

At ONE 165, Takeru Segawa will make his long-awaited ONE Championship debut in front of his home fans in Japan.

On top of the promotion’s exciting return to the Asian nation, with the kickboxing superstar headlining the card, striking fans all over the world will also be eagerly awaiting January 28 because of the superfight on deck for the main event.

The idea of seeing the former three-division K-1 star take on Rodtang Jitmuangnon was nothing but a dream fight for many years. Now that they’re both signed to the same promotion, it was only a matter of time before this one-in-a-million matchup was put together.

It also appears that this contest isn’t just a dream fight for the fans who will be watching on. During the recent press conference, Takeru revealed that he has been thinking about facing ‘The Iron Man’ ever since he was first told about him:

“I was often told that we had the same fighting style. I first heard that there was a fighter in Thailand who had a fighting style like Takeru's, and I saw his match. Since that time, I have had a gut instinct that there is no one I would enjoy fighting more than this person.”

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Takeru vs. Rodtang: An iconic moment in combat sports history

Just like when Rodtang fought Superlek earlier this year, just seeing the Thai striker stand face-to-face with Takeru inside the circle is worth the price of admission alone.

These two world champions from different sports and different countries have carved out incredible legacies and careers for themselves to reach the very top in their chosen disciplines.

Now, they will finally compete against one another at the Ariaka Arena on January 28 in what will undoubtedly mark one of the best matchups of the entire year.

ONE 165 will air live and free ONE Championship’s YouTube channel and the ONE Super App.