“If we get there” - Dutch legend Nieky Holzken confident ‘Sexyama’ won’t see MMA round in Tokyo special rules bout

It is full speed ahead for ONE Championship’s upcoming return to Tokyo, Japan, with the Ariake Arena playing host to ONE 165 that will see 11 fights taking place this Sunday.

Among the featured fights on the card is the special rules spectacle between kickboxing legend Nieky Holzken taking on an important figure in MMA in the form of Yoshihiro Akiyama.

Rounds one and two will be fought under boxing and Muay Thai rules, respectively, while the third round will be Akiyama’s specialty of MMA, where he can have multiple methods of finishing the bout.

However, Holzken declared during the ONE 165 press conference this past Thursday, January 25, that ‘Sexyama’ will not reach the final round at all:

“I think it’s even because I fight on 85 kilograms and he doesn’t want to fight lighter. He’s always fought with small gloves, MMA gloves, but I kickbox so I fight with big gloves. So I think it’s a little bit even. I start with boxing, then Muay Thai in the second round, then the final is MMA if we get there.”

For context as to why ‘The Natural’ is oozing such confidence, Holzken fought in 15 pro boxing matches and only lost one bout between 2013 and 2018.

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‘Sexyama’ warns Holzken

At 48 years old, Akiyama has nothing left to prove in his combat sports career after taking on a myriad of names, the latest being a landmark victory against longtime rival and fellow legend in Shinya Aoki in March 2022.

That win proved that the Japanese-Korean legend can still stand toe-to-toe, and he plans to defy the ever-undefeated Father Time once again by emphatically defeating the Dutch kickboxing icon.

Check your local listings or visit ONE Championship's official website on how to watch ONE 165 from your location.