ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang is set to commence on Sunday, March 23, at the iconic Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, and ONE Championship recently held a pre-event press conference to drum up excitement for the stacked 14-fight card.
While fans enjoyed watching their favorite athletes interact onstage, and ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong talk about the big event, the fighters were having their own fun backstage.
The world's largest martial arts promotion shared some video snippets on Instagram featuring Thai superstar Rodtang Jitmuangnon, two-sport ONE world champion Superlek Kiatmoo9, ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai, and Japanese kickboxing icons Takeru Segawa and Masaaki Noiri.
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As evidenced by the name of the event, Rodtang will be battling Takeru in a hotly anticipated flyweight kickboxing duel to close out ONE 172.
Meanwhile, 155-pound Muay Thai king Tawanchai will vie for the ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world championship against Noiri in the co-main event.
As for ONE bantamweight Muay Thai and flyweight kickboxing world champion Superlek, he will attempt to unify the gold and become the undisputed king of the 145-pound Muay Thai division when he takes on ONE interim bantamweight Muay Thai world champion Nabil Anane.
Chatri Sityodtong expects a knockout finish between Rodtang, Takeru at ONE 172
Chatri Sityodtong is just as excited as the fans to see 'The Iron Man' and Takeru finally exchange leather in the center of the circle, and he believes one of them will get knocked out.
ONE's big boss said as much during the ONE 171 broadcast this past Feb. 20:
"Two of the pound-for-pound greatest strikers on the planet going head-to-head. Somebody's going to get knocked out in Saitama next month. 100 percent."
ONE 172 will be available live on pay-per-view at watch.onefc.com.