Table of Contents
ONE Championship returns to Tokyo on Saturday, August 8, for ONE Samurai 2 at Ebara Wave Arena Ota. The event follows the breakout success of ONE Samurai 1 in April and marks the second stop on what has quickly become a recurring showcase for Japanese talent. This time, the promotion trades a lineup of world title fights for something structural: an eight man featherweight kickboxing tournament that hands its winner a guaranteed shot at reigning champion Superbon.
Two quarterfinal rematches headline the bracket, and both carry real history behind them.
Noiri and Liu settle unfinished business
Masaaki Noiri has had one of the more compelling runs in ONE Championship since he arrived in the promotion. He lost his first two fights, including a decision defeat to a then unknown Liu Mengyang at ONE Friday Fights 92 in December 2024. That night, Liu dropped Noiri in the opening round on his way to a unanimous decision win in his promotional debut.
Noiri answered with a run that reshaped his career. He stopped Shakir Al Tekreeti with a calf kick, then produced a comeback knockout over Tawanchai PK Saenchai to claim the interim featherweight kickboxing title. A unification bout against undisputed champion Superbon at ONE 173 last November ended in a five round decision loss, but Noiri competed hard throughout and left little doubt about his ceiling.
At 35, he now frames this tournament as the start of a new chapter, one where inconsistent results give way to sustained success. Standing across from him again is the same opponent who started that difficult stretch. Liu has continued to build his case since their first meeting, most recently dismantling Gabriel Pereira at The Inner Circle after an injury forced Superbon out of that bout. He now holds one of the strongest resumes in the division outside the champion himself, and a second win over Noiri would only strengthen it.
Kaito looks to flip the script against Siasarani
The other quarterfinal rematch pits Japanese striker Kaito against Iranian contender Mohammad Siasarani. Their first meeting came at Kaito’s ONE debut, where Siasarani overwhelmed him with pressure and volume to spoil the occasion. Kaito has since dropped a second consecutive fight, so this bout carries weight beyond simple bracket advancement.
Siasarani has moved in the opposite direction. A knockout win over Jo Nattawut earned him a six figure contract, and he followed it with a hard fought victory over Pedro Dantas in his main roster debut. Wins over both Liu and Kaito already sit on his record, and another result against Kaito here would keep him firmly in the conversation for a future title opportunity.
Yamakita pushes toward a strawweight title shot
Away from the kickboxing bracket, the ONE Samurai 2’s most significant MMA storyline belongs to strawweight standout Keito Yamakita. He enters on a four fight winning streak and a 12 and 1 record, having submitted fellow Japanese fighter Ryohei Kurosawa with a second round armbar in the main event of ONE Samurai 1. That win extended a resume that already includes victories over former ONE Strawweight MMA World Champions Alex Silva and Yosuke Saruta.
Yamakita now meets promotional newcomer Koyuru Tanoue, who steps in with little to lose and a career defining opportunity in front of him. A win for Yamakita would put him directly in position to challenge undisputed strawweight champion Joshua Pacio.
Two additional MMA bouts round out the card. Ayumu Yamamoto meets Ryo Hirayama at bantamweight, with both fighters looking to bounce back after losing their ONE debuts. Subaru Mori makes his global debut against Yusuke Sato in a lightweight matchup, closing out the mixed martial arts portion of the night.
A growing platform for Japanese combat sports
The remaining ONE Samurai 2 bouts lean toward Muay Thai and kickboxing, continuing the multi discipline format that has defined the Samurai series so far. Hiroki Kasahara faces Ryuto Shiokawa, Ranma meets Katsuki Kitano, and Suarek Rukkukamui takes on Yuri Tanaka.
ONE Samurai 1 proved that a standalone Tokyo card could draw serious attention outside the promotion’s usual numbered events. ONE Samurai 2 builds on that foundation with a tournament format designed to generate its own storylines rather than simply naming a next challenger. If Noiri advances, his path back toward Superbon becomes a genuine redemption arc built on home soil. If Liu wins again, ONE gains one of its clearest new challengers in the division.
With ONE Samurai 3 already scheduled for September in Yokohama and Samurai 4 set for October back in Tokyo, this event looks less like a one off spectacle and more like the early stages of a permanent monthly fixture on the Japanese combat sports calendar.
ONE Samurai 2 Full Fight Card
Masaaki Noiri vs. Liu Mengyang, Featherweight Kickboxing (Tournament Quarterfinal)
Kaito vs. Mohammad Siasarani, Featherweight Kickboxing (Tournament Quarterfinal)
Keito Yamakita vs. Koyuru Tanoue, Strawweight MMA
Ayumu Yamamoto vs. Ryo Hirayama, Bantamweight MMA
Subaru Mori vs. Yusuke Sato, Lightweight MMA
Hiroki Kasahara vs. Ryuto Shiokawa
Ranma vs. Katsuki Kitano
Suarek Rukkukamui vs. Yuri Tanaka
Your home for Korean MMA news, UFC updates and fighter features. Follow HanPunch.
About The Author
Should be an easy one for Yamakita