ONE Championship draws US$ 2 million gate for ONE 172 at Saitama Super Arena

ONE Championship promised a show, and it more than delivered, with ONE 172 drawing the promotion's largest-ever gate in its Japanese shows. As per the Bangkok Post, ONE 172 drew upwards of US$2 million in ticket sales at the historic Saitama Super Arena this past Sunday.

ONE 165, ONE Championship's last show in Japan, also drew US$2 million at the gates at Ariake Arena, but that mark was surpassed this weekend.

Rodtang Jitmuangnon's highly anticipated flyweight kickboxing super fight against Japanese legend Takeru Segawa headlined the 13-fight card, which featured 11 Japanese fighters and four world title bouts.

Japanese fans also had multiple reasons to celebrate with their fighters going an impressive 8-3 in the event, including two warriors taking home ONE Championship gold.

Yuya Wakamatsu exorcised his demons when he stopped old nemesis Adriano Moraes in the first round to capture the vacant ONE flyweight MMA world title.

Masaaki Noiri then sent the crowd at Saitama Super Arena into pandemonium when he stopped ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai in the third round for the ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world title.

The main event, however, belonged to Thailand when Rodtang knocked Takeru out in just 80 seconds with a vicious left hook to bookend the historic show.

According to the report, more than a million fans tuned in to the post-event press conference where ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong and the card's big winners addressed Japanese and international media.

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ONE Championship returns to the United States with ONE 173

ONE Championship is ready to bring the heat to the United States once more when it returns to Denver this August. The promotion recently announced that ONE 173: Denver will transpire at the Ball Arena, the home stadium of the 2023 NBA Champions Denver Nuggets, on August 1.

There have been two confirmed fights so far for ONE 173. ONE women's atomweight MMA world champion Stamp Fairtex returns to Denver when she faces off against interim world champion and close friend Denice Zamboanga in a world title unification match.

British legend Liam Harrison returns to the promotion after a short-lived retirement to face Burmese slugger Soe Lin Oo in a bantamweight Muay Thai tussle.

Tickets for ONE 173 are available at Ticketmaster.