Table of Contents
Jonathan Haggerty successfully defended his ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Championship against Hiroki Akimoto, while Nadaka Yoshinari delivered a spectacular knockout of Rifdean Masdor at ONE SAMURAI 4 in Tokyo, Japan, on October 17.
The event took place at Ariake Arena and featured two world championship bouts, the semifinals of the ONE SAMURAI Featherweight Kickboxing Tournament, MMA contests and submission grappling.
Haggerty stopped Akimoto in the third round, while Nadaka retained his atomweight Muay Thai crown with a second-round head-kick finish. Masaaki Noiri also advanced in the featherweight kickboxing tournament after defeating Mohammad Siasarani by split decision.
The card produced several notable results, including a unanimous decision victory for Nabil Anane over Yuki Yoza, a knockout win for Sinsamut Klinmee against Shintaro Matsukura and a first-round stoppage for Kota Abe in his MMA contest against Shozo Isojima.
Two scheduled bouts were cancelled before competition: Marat Grigorian versus Luo Chao and Rukiya Anpo versus Bogdan Shumarov.
Jonathan Haggerty Stops Hiroki Akimoto to Retain World Title
Jonathan Haggerty defeated Hiroki Akimoto by third-round technical knockout to successfully defend his ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Championship for the third time.
The champion used his movement, kicking game and combinations to establish control over the former titleholder. Akimoto responded with punches to the body and left hooks, occasionally finding openings against Haggerty’s defence.
Akimoto also had a promising moment when a left hook briefly unsettled the champion. However, Haggerty recovered and continued to dictate the pace through a combination of punches, kicks and knees.
The decisive sequence came in the third round, when Haggerty landed a powerful knee to Akimoto’s face. The strike caused significant damage, and the referee and corner ultimately brought the contest to an end at 42 seconds of the round.
The victory extended Haggerty’s successful run in ONE kickboxing competition and allowed him to retain his bantamweight championship on Japanese soil.
For Akimoto, the defeat ended his attempt to reclaim the title he previously held. Despite showing moments of resistance, the Japanese challenger was unable to sustain his offence against Haggerty’s pressure.
Nadaka Yoshinari Knocks Out Rifdean Masdor With Head Kick
Nadaka Yoshinari retained his ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Championship after defeating Rifdean Masdor by second-round technical knockout.
The Japanese champion entered the bout against a dangerous Malaysian opponent known for his aggressive striking. Masdor attempted to pressure Nadaka with powerful punches, while the champion used his southpaw stance, body kicks and counterattacks to create openings.
Nadaka connected with a clean counter during the opening round, dropping Masdor with a sharp left hand. Masdor recovered and continued attacking, forcing the champion to work defensively despite his effective counterstriking.
The contest ended in the second round when Nadaka landed a perfectly timed left high kick that sent Masdor to the canvas. The referee stopped the fight at 58 seconds of the round.
The victory reinforced Nadaka’s position as one of the leading fighters in the atomweight Muay Thai division.
Masdor had missed weight before the contest and was therefore ineligible to win the championship. Nadaka’s victory allowed him to retain the belt, while the finish provided one of the standout moments of the event.
Masaaki Noiri Advances in Featherweight Kickboxing Tournament
Masaaki Noiri defeated Mohammad Siasarani by split decision in their featherweight kickboxing tournament semifinal.
The contest featured two experienced strikers looking to secure a place in the tournament final. Noiri applied pressure behind a high guard, looking to close the distance and land combinations to the body and head.
Siasarani responded with combinations of his own, switching stances and mixing punches with kicks to disrupt Noiri’s rhythm. Both fighters found success during the exchanges, making the bout a competitive contest for the judges.
Noiri ultimately secured the split decision, moving one step closer to the tournament championship.
The other scheduled semifinal between Marat Grigorian and Luo Chao was cancelled after Luo failed to make weight. Grigorian therefore advanced without competing in the scheduled bout.
The tournament’s final is expected to bring Noiri and Grigorian together, with the winner earning an opportunity to challenge for the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Championship held by Superbon.
Nabil Anane Defeats Yuki Yoza
Nabil Anane defeated Yuki Yoza by unanimous decision in their bantamweight kickboxing contest.
Anane used his height and reach to keep Yoza at a distance, landing jabs, body kicks and knees whenever the Japanese fighter attempted to close the gap.
Yoza tried to overcome the reach disadvantage with forward pressure, punches and low kicks. However, Anane repeatedly used his longer frame to disrupt those attacks and maintain control of the exchanges.
The contest became particularly challenging for Yoza as Anane mixed knees with punches and body attacks, preventing him from establishing a consistent rhythm.
All three judges awarded the contest to Anane, giving him an important victory against a respected Japanese striker.
Itsuki Hirata Gets Revenge Against Jihin Radzuan
Itsuki Hirata defeated Jihin Radzuan by unanimous decision in their atomweight MMA rematch.
The fight represented an opportunity for Hirata to avenge an earlier defeat against the Malaysian fighter. Radzuan initially applied pressure with her striking, while Hirata looked to close the distance and use her grappling.
Hirata attempted several clinch entries and takedowns, but Radzuan defended effectively and continued to threaten with strikes.
The Japanese fighter eventually found more success through her wrestling and ground control. She secured takedowns and landed repeated knees to Radzuan’s head while controlling the exchanges on the mat.
Hirata’s performance earned her a unanimous decision, allowing her to settle the rivalry and record a significant victory in front of the home crowd.
Sinsamut Klinmee Scores Knockout Against Shintaro Matsukura
Sinsamut Klinmee defeated Shintaro Matsukura by second-round knockout in their lightweight kickboxing matchup.
The Thai striker took control early with accurate punches and body kicks, forcing Matsukura to remain cautious during the opening exchanges.
Matsukura attempted to increase his aggression in the second round, but Sinsamut capitalised with a powerful right high kick. The strike landed through Matsukura’s guard and sent him to the canvas.
The knockout came at 1:17 of the second round, giving Sinsamut one of the night’s most decisive victories.
Kota Abe Stops Shozo Isojima in the First Round
Kota Abe defeated Shozo Isojima by first-round technical knockout in their lightweight MMA contest.
Abe applied pressure from the opening moments, using compact punches to force Isojima onto the defensive. A sharp right hook initially hurt Isojima, allowing Abe to follow up with additional strikes.
Isojima attempted to recover and return fire, but Abe continued pressing forward. A right straight eventually dropped Isojima, prompting the referee to intervene after further strikes.
The stoppage came at 1:34 of the opening round. Abe’s performance earned him a reported US$100,000 contract with ONE Championship, marking a major breakthrough in his career.
Shoma Okumura and Ryoto Nishiyama Secure Impressive Wins
Shoma Okumura defeated Toki Tamaru by unanimous decision in their strawweight kickboxing bout.
Okumura pressed forward with combinations and increased his output as the contest progressed. Tamaru attempted to counter with punches and kicks, but Okumura’s activity helped him secure the judges’ verdict.
Ryoto Nishiyama produced an even quicker finish in his flyweight MMA contest against Yu Takeuchi. Nishiyama landed a right-hand counter as Takeuchi moved forward, dropping his opponent before following up with ground strikes.
The referee stopped the fight at 58 seconds of the first round, giving Nishiyama a decisive victory.
Masaki Takeura Wins Submission Grappling Opener
Masaki Takeura defeated Yoshinari Fukushima by heel hook in the opening bout of ONE SAMURAI 4.
The lightweight submission grappling contest saw Fukushima attempt to establish his guard early, while Takeura worked to pass and improve his position.
Takeura eventually isolated Fukushima’s leg and secured the heel hook, forcing the submission at 5:13 of the first round.
The victory provided an impressive start to the event and demonstrated Takeura’s effectiveness in the grappling contest.
ONE SAMURAI 4: Full Results
Bantamweight Kickboxing World Championship
- Jonathan Haggerty defeated Hiroki Akimoto by TKO (corner stoppage), Round 3, 0:42.
Atomweight Muay Thai World Championship
- Nadaka Yoshinari defeated Rifdean Masdor by TKO (left high kick), Round 2, 0:58.
ONE SAMURAI Featherweight Kickboxing Tournament
- Masaaki Noiri defeated Mohammad Siasarani by split decision.
- Marat Grigorian vs. Luo Chao — cancelled after Luo Chao missed weight.
Bantamweight Kickboxing
- Nabil Anane defeated Yuki Yoza by unanimous decision.
Lightweight Kickboxing
- Sinsamut Klinmee defeated Shintaro Matsukura by KO (right high kick), Round 2, 1:17.
- Rukiya Anpo vs. Bogdan Shumarov — cancelled after Anpo failed to pass the hydration test.
Atomweight MMA
- Itsuki Hirata defeated Jihin Radzuan by unanimous decision.
Lightweight MMA
- Kota Abe defeated Shozo Isojima by TKO, Round 1, 1:34.
Strawweight Kickboxing
- Shoma Okumura defeated Toki Tamaru by unanimous decision.
Flyweight MMA
- Ryoto Nishiyama defeated Yu Takeuchi by KO, Round 1, 0:58.
Lightweight Submission Grappling
- Masaki Takeura defeated Yoshinari Fukushima by heel hook, Round 1, 5:13.
Follow HanPunch for the latest MMA news, exclusive fighter interviews, event coverage, and the stories shaping combat sports around the world.
About The Author
1 Comment