WATCH: Japanese karate legend Hiroki Akimoto starts his redemption arc against former flyweight kickboxing king Ilias Ennahachi

Former ONE bantamweight kickboxing world champion Hiroki Akimoto is out for redemption on September 27 at ONE Friday Fights 81, where he will face former ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion Ilias Ennahachi in a bantamweight scrap.

Recently, ONE Championship looked back at his gallant stand against Petchtanong, and they posted it on their Instagram account with the caption:

"Warrior spirit 🙏 Can Hiroki Akimoto walk away with a win over Ilias Ennahachi at ONE Friday Fights 81 on September 27? 🔥 @hiro_a_16"

In the video, the Japanese striking sensation is seen fighting through visible damage to his right rib area, courtesy of Petchtanong's multiple knee strikes that spammed him during the match.

But Akimoto still went on to finish the world championship bout but suffered an incredibly close defeat. This may have ended his supremacy in the weight class, but he has certainly won the hearts of fans with his massive heart.

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Hiroki Akimoto reveals that he likes ONE Championship because of the respect that the fighters show

The Evolve MMA representative is now ready for his return to action on September 27 at ONE Friday Fights 81, where he takes on former ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion Ilias Ennahachi in a bantamweight kickboxing scarp inside the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Before that match, he had an interview with ONE Championship and talked about how ONE Championship stands out compared to other promotions as he explained:

"There are various martial arts organizations, which I think is a good thing. I like ONE Championship as an organization, and I always fight with respect for my opponents. The other fighters do too. I think it's a great organization with many good people as fighters. I feel happy to be able to fight there."

ONE Friday Fights 81 will air live on pay-per-view at watch.onefc.com.