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Before he earned a roster spot with ONE Championship, Bokang Masunyane was already a sought-after fighter due to his undefeated professional record. He immediately proved that the hype around his name was real by beating Ryuto Sawada in his debut match in the promotion.
Masunyane was pitted against Sawada in December 2019 at ONE: Mark of Greatness. Their full match replay was reposted by ONE Championship on its official YouTube channel, with the description:
“Before South African sensation Bokang Masunyane returns against Japanese warrior Keito Yamakita at ONE 165 on January 28, relive his explosive ONE debut against Ryuto Sawada in 2019! “
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With the constant danger from the Japanese’s striking on the feet, Masunyane decided to counter it with this superior wrestling and grappling approach by literally ragdolling Sawada for the majority of the fight.
The ‘Little Giant’ showed that his power should not be overlooked despite his small frame at 5-foot-1. He was able to lock the ‘Dragon Boy’ on the ground and attack him with multiple knees to the thighs and several ground and pound strikes.
Eventually, this dominance and brute strength guided the 29-year-old South African to a unanimous decision victory, sending an emphatic message across the division that he had arrived and was ready to work his way to a world title shot.
Bokang Masunyane to face Keito Yamakita at ONE 165 in a pivotal strawweight contest
After a bounce-back victory over fellow ranked contender Hiroba Minowa in April 2023 at ONE Fight Night 9 - his third win under the world’s largest martial arts organization's banner - Masunyane is back in action on January 28 at ONE 165. He'll face another Japanese fighter, Keito Yamakita, in an all-important match at Ariake Arena.
The Coach Quan University representative wants to keep his place at the number two spot in the divisional rankings and use this upcoming battle with Yamakita as a springboard to earn his first-ever world title shot later this year.
He can potentially face Jarred Brooks or Joshua Pacio for the undisputed championship.
