Rodtang dispensed with any thoughts of a feeling-out process as he stride across the ring and set to work on landing heavy shots on the Japanese ace as he found his range immediately.
Rodtang kept up his early pressure and landed a big left hook that sent Takeru backward into the ropes. “The Iron Man” then stepped in and unloaded another huge left hand to drop Takeru, who was unable to beat referee Olivier Coste’s count.
It gave Rodtang another huge victory as he claimed the scalp of one of Japan’s most beloved kickboxing stars in just 80 seconds.
The co-main event saw Masaaki Noiri stop Tawanchai PK Saenchai in the third round to capture the ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world title.
The pair traded big shots in the first round as they both looked to establish dominance in the opening frame, but it wasn’t until the third round that one of the fighters made the breakthrough, as Noiri landed a huge left hook to send Tawanchai to the canvas.
The Thai star beat the count, but Noiri wouldn’t be denied, and a blistering salvo forced the stoppage after the restart to claim the interim title.
There was also a championship shock as Yuya Wakamatsu stopped Adriano Moraes in the first round to capture the ONE flyweight MMA title, while Jonathan Di Bella claimed a unanimous decision victory over Sam-A Gaiyanghadao to claim the ONE interim strawweight kickboxing title.
Elsewhere on the card, ONE women’s atomweight kickboxing champion Phetjeeja Lukjaoporongtom defeated Kana Morimoto to retain her title.
ONE 172: Official results
- Rodtang Jitmuangnon def. Takeru Segawa via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 1:20 – flyweight kickboxing superfight
- Masaaki Noiri def. Tawanchai PK Saenchai via TKO (referee stoppage) – Round 3, 1:55 – for ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world title
- Yuya Wakamatsu def. Adriano Moraes via TKO (ground strikes) – Round 1, 3:39 – for ONE flyweight MMA world title
- Jonathan Di Bella def. Sam-A Gaiyanghadao via unanimous decision – for ONE interim strawweight kickboxing world title
- Phetjeeja Lukjaoporongtom def. Kana Morimoto via unanimous decision – for ONE women’s atomweight kickboxing world title
- Nabil Anane def. Superlek Kiatmoo9 via unanimous decision – Muay Thai
- Nadaka Yoshinari def. Rak Erawan via knockout (punch) – Round 3, 2:40 – Muay Thai
- Shinya Aoki def. Eduard Folayang via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 0:53 – MMA
- Hiroki Akimoto def. John Lineker via split decision – MMA
- Adrian Lee def. Takeharu Ogawa via submission (anaconda choke) – Round 1, 1:03
- Shimon Yoshinari def. Yodlekpet Or Atchariya via unanimous decision – Muay Thai
- Hyu def. Zakaria El Jamari via knockout (knee) – Round 1, 2:12 – kickboxing
- Ryusei Kumagai def. Suriyanlek Por Yenying via unanimous decision – kickboxing
