ONE 172: “I wasn't able to leave with the belt” - Kana keeping her head up high after coming up short in title bid vs Phetjeeja

“I wasn't able to leave with the belt” - Kana keeping her head up high after coming up short in title bid vs Phetjeeja

Modified Mar 26, 2025 09:35 GMT

Kana Morimoto and Phetjeeja Lukjaoporongtom - Photo by ONE Championship

Former multi-time K-1 kickboxing world champion 'Krusher Queen' Kana Morimoto of Japan ran into Thai buzzsaw and reigning ONE women's atomweight kickboxing world champion 'The Queen' Phetjeeja Lukjaoporongtom last weekend at the recently concluded ONE 172.

As such, her dreams of becoming a ONE world champion were quickly dashed, as the 32-year-old Team Aftermath product fell via unanimous decision after five grueling rounds of action.

In her recent post on Instagram, Kana broke her silence regarding her performance and apologized to the fans she let down, as well as to ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong.

'Krusher Queen' said:

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"I'm so sorry and thankful to everyone who supported me at the venue and believed that I would win at the PPV. I wasn't able to leave the ring with the belt. I'd like to express my sincere gratitude to CEO Chatri, and ONE Championship for making this match possible."

Needless to say, Morimoto has remained steadfast despite the loss, and has vowed to continue her march toward the gold.

ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang took place live from the iconic Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan last Sunday, March 23. Fans in the United States and Canada can catch a replay of the action on-demand via watch.onefc.com.

What's next for Kana Morimoto?

In lieu of her unanimous decision loss to atomweight kickboxing titleholder 'The Queen' Phetjeeja Lukjaoporongtom last weekend at ONE 172, Japanese star 'Krusher Queen' Kana Morimoto is determined to regain her footing in the world's largest martial arts organization and continue her quest for glory.

Potential matchups in ONE Championship remain plenty, with names such as atomweight Muay Thai champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues and former striking champion Stamp Fairtex on the table.

Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding Kana Morimoto's next fight.

About the author

Dan is an MMA writer with 10+ years of overall experience. Before his ongoing tenure at Sportskeeda, Dan got the opportunity to be at the forefront of the sport by contributing to ONE Championship and Fight Game Asia. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology.

Dan’s connection to MMA started during the early days of the UFC and ONE Championship. He previously practiced boxing and ranks Demetrious Johnson, Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, Jon Jones, and Fedor Emelianenko as the top five MMA fighters of all time.

He has covered several events onsite and on the ground for ONE Championship and hopes to continue doing so. He ensures that he churns out accurate articles by citing only legitimate sources and getting firsthand accounts through exclusive interviews whenever required.

Dan feels MMA fighter pay seems like an issue because it often gets compared to what fighters earn in boxing but that MMA will eventually catch up in the future.

His other interests include soccer and video games.

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Edited by Tejas Rathi