![Masaaki Noiri celebrating winning the ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world championship at ONE 172. [Photo via: ONE Championship]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/03/3903d-17428941743281-1920.jpg)
![Masaaki Noiri celebrating winning the ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world championship at ONE 172. [Photo via: ONE Championship]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.6666666666667'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
"You never forget your first" is a saying that best applies to newly crowned ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world champion Masaaki Noiri following his championship-winning performance at ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang on Sunday, March 23.
The former two-division K-1 kickboxing king claimed his first crown in ONE Championship with a stunning third-round TKO of ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.
In a heartwarming video shared by the world's largest martial arts promotion on Instagram, the 33-year-old Japanese superstar celebrated with his wife, Maho, and their two children in the locker room.
Watch the entire video below:
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Noiri's landmark victory over Tawanchai was not without difficulty, as the 155-pound Muay Thai king enacted his proven and tested high-pressure offense.
Despite the PK Saenchai Muay Thai Gym product's success with this strategy, Noiri's decision to invest in the body blows and leg kicks early on led to Tawanchai overcommitting to his defense.
This, combined with Tawanchai's focus on all-out offense, opened a window for Noiri to knock him down in the third round and soon forced the stoppage with an incredible barrage against the ropes. Noiri earned a $50,000 performance bonus from ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong for the finish.
The full replay of ONE 172 is available via watch.onefc.com.
Chatri Sityodtong mightily impressed with Masaaki Noiri's victory
Chatri Sitydotong did not hold back on giving Masaaki Noiri his well-deserved praise during the ONE 172 post-event press conference. ONE's big boss said:
"You know, Noiri was a 10-1 underdog. I was not believing that he could do it. So, you know, incredible, incredible performance. Tawanchai is definitely the best 70-kilo fighter in the world right now. And you know, no one gave him a chance."
Watch the entire press conference below:
