Hiroki Akimoto Ready for Jonathan Haggerty with Counter for Every Move at ONE SAMURAI 4

The 33-year-old Japanese slugger challenges reigning titleholder Jonathan "The General" Haggerty for the kickboxing belt at ONE SAMURAI 4 on Saturday, October 17, live from Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan. The show streams for fans exclusively via live.onefc.com.

Akimoto claimed the ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Championship at ONE X in 2022 with a striking masterclass over Capitan Petchyindee before dropping the title and enduring a difficult stretch.

His resurgence has been methodical and convincing. In 2025, he defeated former ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion John Lineker and former kickboxing title challenger Wei Rui.

Then, Akimoto added compatriot Taimu Hisai via split decision earlier this year to earn his title shot. His 29-4 striking record and nine ONE Championship wins reflect a former titleholder who has rebuilt himself into a legitimate contender.

Akimoto Has Studied Haggerty's Stance Switching for ONE SAMURAI 4

Akimoto has done extensive preparation for “The General,” who is known to switch stances frequently and has caused problems for every opponent he has faced in kickboxing.

"He's a switch-hitter, someone who switches stances a lot. I think a lot of the fighters he's faced before have been a bit sloppy in how they approached him. I've also got plenty of surprises prepared, so I hope everyone looks forward to seeing them," the Japanese star said.

Haggerty's unbeaten kickboxing run in ONE Championship has been built on a style that rewards opponents who approach carelessly, and Akimoto believes he has identified the correction that his predecessors failed to make.

Akimoto Identifies Haggerty's Range and Movement as the Key Areas to Shut Down

The blueprint Akimoto has developed centers on neutralizing the specific tools that have made Haggerty so effective inside ONE Championship. The former champion has been precise about where he believes the contest will be decided.

"I think the thing I really need to watch out for with Haggerty is his range, distance management, and his movement to take angles. If I can shut those down well, I don't think I'll have any trouble winning," he explained.

Haggerty will make his third title defense on October 17, having stopped Wei Rui in 2025 and outclassed Yuki Yoza at ONE SAMURAI 1 earlier this year.

Akimoto Says Haggerty's Finish-Hunting Mentality Makes It Easier to Finish Him

Haggerty's public promise of a second-round demolition has given Akimoto a specific piece of information to work with, and the Japanese striker has turned the defending champion's stated aggression into an advantage for himself.

"Of course, I've prepared for every scenario. But Haggerty said at the press conference earlier that he's going for a second-round finish, and if he comes at me looking for a finish, that actually makes it easier for me to finish him," he said.

Fighting in front of a Japanese crowd with the hometown advantage and a counter-striking game plan built to punish an aggressive champion is the ideal scenario for a former titleholder whose best performances have come when his opponent walks onto his strikes.