Chatri Sityodtong says Takeru signing has ‘a chance to really blow up’ ONE brand in Japan

ONE Championship chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong believes he’s just added a generational talent to his roster of world champions. ONE announced a few weeks ago that it had signed Japanese kickboxing superstar Takeru Segawa, and that the promotion will be looking to make a very strong push in Tokyo soon.

Speaking to the media at the ONE Fight Night 10 post-event press conference a few weeks ago in Denver, Colorado, Sityodtong talked about the Takeru signing and how it will take ONE Championship to the next level in Japan.

The Thai-Japanese billionaire said:

“Now that we signed Takeru, we have a chance to really blow up our brand in Japan and become number one in the mainstream. Abema TV, they’re the largest TV player in Japan with 80 million subscribers, out of a country with 120 million in population. There are so many.”

Takeru Segawa is one of the hottest talents in striking martial arts today. He’s easily the best in Japan, if not among the top three. Takeru joining ONE Championship creates a myriad of enticing matchups that can be made.

A showdown with newly crowned ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion ‘The General’ Jonathan Haggerty is an interesting proposition, as is a battle with ONE bantamweight kickboxing world champion Petchtanong Petchfergus.

At flyweight, a date with Muay Thai king ‘The Iron Man’ Rodtang Jitmuangnon seems imminent, as well as a tussle with flyweight kickboxing titleholder Superlek Kiatmoo9.

ONE Championship last held an event in Tokyo in 2019 with ONE: Century. With Takeru’s signing, another event in 'The Land of the Rising Sun' seems almost inevitable.