Just over a week since ONE Championship announced its return to Japan, the world’s largest martial arts organization has unveiled its headline attractions for ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri.
Championship Doubleheader to Cap ONE 173 In November
Two World Title bouts will be on hand inside Tokyo, Japan’s Ariake Arena during ONE 173. ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Superbon takes on interim king Masaaki Noiri.
Meanwhile in the co-main event of ONE 173, reigning ONE Heavyweight MMA World Champion “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane rematches two-weight ONE MMA World Champion Anatoly Malykhin on Sunday, November 16.
Superbon Looking to Defend Featherweight Kickboxing Title at ONE 173
After previous reigns, Superbon was reunited with the featherweight kickboxing strap in April 2024 after a resounding five-round victory over Marat Grigorian at ONE Friday Fights 58.
He then tried his luck against reigning ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai this past January at ONE 170, but fell to a second-round knockout defeat against his compatriot.
Superbon has licked his wounds and he now returns to his bread and butter to remind the world of his prowess in ONE 173, but his Japanese foe is out to capitalize on recent momentum.
Noiri Hungry to Unify Belt Nov. 16
Noiri struggled to find his feet when he first landed in ONE Championship with decision losses to Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong and Liu Mengyang, but he quickly made up for those this past January.
The 32-year-old bounced back incredibly, brutalizing Shakir Al-Tekreeti with leg kicks to score a second-round knockout victory.
That led him to a whopping showdown against Tawanchai in his hometown of Tokyo, Japan, this past March at ONE 172, where he stopped the Thai star in the third round to pick up the interim gold and cement a shot at Superbon later this year.
In his return to The Land of the Rising Sun in November, Noiri looks to unify the gold, while Superbon hopes to cement his legacy that much more.
“Reug Reug” Looks to Win Second Straight Over Malykhin in ONE 173
The co-main event sees a gigantic battle play out in more ways than one as Kane looks to show his victory over Malykhin last November at ONE 169 was no such fluke.
The Senegalese standout shocked the world in dethroning Malykhin after five hard-fought rounds in Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium last year. He used his patience to outpoint the aggressive Russian, allowing him to become the first African ONE World Champion and hand his rival the first loss of his professional MMA career.
This time around, Malykhin has promised that lightning won’t strike twice. “Sladkiy’s” indomitable rise to the top of ONE saw him become a three-weight king simultaneously – the only man to ever do it. And he’s eager to reclaim that gold and regain his spot as the baddest man in the land of the giants.
