In the final fight of his illustrious career, {Takeru} delivered a fitting send-off, stopping {Rodtang} in the fifth round to capture the ONE Interim Flyweight Kickboxing World Championship.
Rodtang started sharp, keeping things compact and effective behind his left hook to take early control. Takeru responded in the second with urgency, shifting the momentum in an instant as he dropped the Thai star twice and came within touching distance of a finish.
As expected, Rodtang didn’t break. He pushed forward in the middle rounds, forcing exchanges and landing heavy combinations, testing Takeru’s durability. The Japanese icon held his ground, absorbing shots and answering back, turning the fight into a back-and-forth battle.
Everything came to a head in the final round. Takeru surged, letting his hands go and scoring two more knockdowns, sealing the stoppage at 2:22. A war over five rounds, and a decisive ending, Takeru’s last fight became his career's biggest win.
After the fight, Takeru gave an emotional speech about his retirement and the future of kickboxing:
“I went overseas and joined ONE, and I lost multiple times—I let everyone down. But despite that, you still filled Ariake Arena like this. Thank you so much. I had a lot of things I wanted to say, but right now, I’m just truly happy. Really… I also want to thank Rodtang for accepting the rematch even after suffering a KO loss. If it weren’t for him, I couldn’t have had the perfect retirement fight. Please give Rodtang a round of applause as well.”
"I feel relieved. For the past few years, I’ve focused on nothing but winning this belt every single day. There were injuries and a lot of setbacks—I had to take some detours—but I’m truly grateful that I was able to win it in the very end. Originally, this is a belt meant to earn a shot at the undisputed champion, but I’m retiring after this fight. I’m really thankful to ONE’s staff and to Chatri for putting this fight together for me."
"Not just ONE, but the Japanese combat sports scene and the global combat sports scene will continue to grow even more. Even after I retire, the passion for this sport, the energy and cheers here tonight, will carry on through the next generation of fighters.
It’s not just ONE, there’s K-1, RISE, KNOCK OUT, so many organizations in Japan. It’s not about which promotion is better. The sport itself is what’s great. Let’s all come together to elevate kickboxing. We can’t let it end like this. Let’s do it together. Even after I retire, I’ll help in any way I can. Let’s bring that passion for combat sports back again. Let’s make the Tokyo Dome happen. Everyone who came here today — promise me that."
Jonathan Haggerty vs. Yuki Yoza
{Jonathan Haggerty} delivered when it mattered, turning in a composed performance to defeat Yuki Yoza by unanimous decision and retain the ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title.
From the outset, Haggerty dictated the pace. Sharp combinations and well-placed knees to the body kept him in control, while Yoza searched for openings with his calf kicks and forward pressure.
Yoza had moments, briefly finding success in exchanges, but struggled to build anything sustained. Haggerty’s movement and timing consistently disrupted the challenger’s rhythm, preventing him from settling into the fight.
Across five rounds, Haggerty stayed in command, outworking and outmaneuvering Yoza to secure a clear decision on the scorecards.
Marat Grigorian vs. Kaito
Kaito delivered a spirited performance against Marat Grigorian, opting not to outmaneuver the heavy-hitting Armenian-Belgian as many have tried, but instead meeting him head-on. While he found some early success, the power disparity quickly became evident.
Grigorian landed a crushing right hand in the opening round, dropping Kaito to the canvas. Clearly hurt, the Japanese fighter was unable to beat the count, bringing their feud to a decisive end.
Following the bout, Chatri Sityodtong announced that Marat Grigorian has earned another title shot and will face the winner of Superbon vs. Liu Mengyang.
Source: beyondkick.com