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ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang is set to deliver a lineup stacked full of incredible duels live from the historic Saitama Super Arena on March 23. Of course, the flyweight kickboxing headline attraction between two of the biggest striking superstars today – 'The Natural Born Krusher' and 'The Iron Man' – and the five world titles across MMA, Muay Thai, and kickboxing, is guaranteed to have all eyes locked on it.
But the rest of the evening's affairs look all set to provide fight fans with a couple of firefights.
Without further ado, here are three fights to watch out for once the action gets underway in 'The Land of the Rising Sun' this Sunday.
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#1 John Lineker vs. Hiroki Akimoto
Three things in life are certain – death, taxes and John Lineker's powerful fists being a handful for anyone standing across from him. The Brazilian brawler will prove just how accurate that theory is once more when he hops into the kickboxing realm for the first time alongside former ONE bantamweight kickboxing world champion Hiroki Akimoto at ONE 172.
Lineker, who held the division's MMA crown in 2022, utilized his 'Hands of Stone' to knockout Asa Ten Pow and Alexey Balyko in back-to-back Muay Thai tussles last year.
Though his pristine slate in 'The Art of Eight Limbs' was taken away by Kulabdam Sor Jor Piek Uthai this past January, Lineker did remind the Thai of the cracking power he has in four-ounce gloves as he sent the Thai down early in round one.
While his bantamweight kickboxing joust with Akimoto will see him don the eight-ounce gloves for the first time, the 34-year-old is more than ready to let his power rip to emerge victorious.
It would, however, be easier said than done, given Akimoto's caliber.
The 32-year-old Japanese superstar has claimed six wins under the ruleset against the very best names in the division. Though he heads into this one on the back of a three-match skid, his technicality in attack could prove to be a nightmare for 'Hands of Stone' at ONE 172.
The former divisional king knows he needs a big win, and there's no better time for him to get back on track and prove why he deserves another run at gold than earning the W at ONE 172.
#2 Eduard Folayang vs. Shinya Aoki
Former ONE lightweight MMA world champions Eduard Folayang and Shinya Aoki have treated fight fans to three instant classics in the past. Their fourth installment at ONE 172, set to be contested at their usual fight bracket, should be no different.
Folayang and Aoki don't have anything left to prove at this stage of their careers. The MMA veterans have done it all for more than a decade at the very helm of the sport on the global stage.
Aoki leads their rivalry at 2-1 heading into this all-legend showdown at ONE 172 in Saitama, Japan.
Since 'Landslide' upset him at ONE: Defending Honor in November 2016 by a third-round TKO, 'Tobikan Judan' has claimed back-to-back wins over the Filipino legend by submissions in March 2019 and April 2021.
Aoki's prowess on the canvas should be the backbone of his success as he seeks to close out his glorious career with a bang. The 60-fight veteran also has decent striking tools to go with his sleek moves on the canvas, meaning Folayang can't rest on his laurels when he's throwing bombs in his direction.
That said, the Lions Nation MMA founder believes his ground game acumen has improved in time for this battle.
The 41-year-old fighter does his best work when he's standing inside the pocket and throwing effective basic and crafty spinning attacks, but if he's able to walk the talk and make life difficult for the fellow 41-year-old on the ground, he could tie their rivalry at two apiece to kickstart another chapter in his illustrious MMA career.
#3 Marat Grigorian vs. Kaito Ono
A featherweight kickboxing joust between Armenian dynamite and Japanese power hitter Kaito Ono wraps up this list.
Grigorian, a former three-time Glory kickboxing world champion, is craving another run to ONE gold, and the best way for him to stake his claim is by dispatching the debuting Japanese star as early as possible.
The Netherlands-based fighter, who trains alongside Roberto Soldic under the watchful eyes of kickboxing specialist Nick Hemmers, has plenty at his disposal to hurt Ono and make it back-to-back wins on martial arts' biggest stage since 2021.
His immense pressure and ability to throw volume at full speed have given his past opponents little to no chance of making it to the final bell.
After all, more than half of his career wins, 36 from 68, have come in highlight-reel fashion. So rest assured, he'll have his radar locked on another knockout at ONE 172.
Ono, though, doesn't plan on letting him have a field day at ONE 172.
The 27-year-old from Osaka is out to make the most of his promotional bow inside the Saitama Super Arena. He rides a five-match winning streak against the likes of Petchmorakot, Davit Kiria, and Dragomir Petrov ahead of his ONE debut.
Like Grigorian, the Japanese talent rarely likes to waste time in the ring.
He's achieved 26 knockouts from 58 career wins, and he'll look to build on that impressive numbers by taking out Grigorian and future tests that await him inside the Circle.
ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang will be available via pay-per-view at watch.onefc.com this Sunday, March 23. The action gets underway live from the Saitama Super Arena.
