Tag: Yoshihiro Akiyama

Video: Yoshihiro Akiyama suffers first-round TKO loss in mixed rules bout vs. Nieky Holzken

MMA veteran Yoshihiro Akiyama loses in his return to fighting at Sunday’s ONE 165.

Longtime fan favorite [autotag]Yoshihiro Akiyama[/autotag] was stopped in his fighting return Sunday.

The Japanese star quickly was dispatched by former Glory Kickboxing champion [autotag]Nieky Holzken[/autotag] in the first round of their 187.25-pound catchweight bout at ONE 165 in Tokyo.

Akiyama and Holzken competed in a three-round mixed-rules bout, alternating between boxing, muay Thai and MMA. The official stoppage came at the 1:40 mark of Round 1.

Below, you can watch the video of Akiyama TKO defeat:

Akiyama, now 48, has been competing sporadically in combat sports in this late stage of his fighting career. Prior to this defeat at ONE 165, Akiyama fought and defeated fellow Japanese legend Shinya Aoki in an MMA bout in March 2022.

Although already a known name in Asia, “Sexyama” made his fame in America in the early 2010s fighting under the UFC banner. He gave many exciting and memorable performances competing against notable names like Michael Bisping and Vitor Belfort.

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UFC veterans in MMA, boxing, karate and bareknuckle action Jan. 26-28

Check out which veterans of the UFC are competing in combat sports across the globe this weekend.

This week, the UFC is idle following its first pay-per-view event of 2024, UFC 297.

Many other combat sports events are taking place that feature several familiar names that have competed under the UFC banner.

Check out which veterans of the global MMA leader are competing Jan. 26-28.

Scroll below to see how the UFC veterans fared last week, and see the names and details of this weekend’s competitors.

Upcoming event information from Tapology.

Shinya Aoki unfazed by loss to Yoshihiro Akiyama, excited to face youngster in grappling match

Shinya Aoki has moved on from his loss to rival Yoshihiro Akiyama and welcomes a new challenge at ONE Championship 157.

[autotag]Shinya Aoki[/autotag] has already moved on from his loss to rival [autotag]Yoshihiro Akiyama[/autotag].

Aoki’s grappling skills were on full display when he faced fellow Japanese legend Akiyama at ONE X in March. He took his back for almost all of Round 1, but Akiyama was able to rally and stop Aoki in Round 2.

However, the submission specialist is already onto his next task. He meets Kade Ruotolo in a submission grappling match Friday at ONE Championship 157, which takes place at Singapore Indoor Stadium.

“Since the match at ONE X, I went about my days as if nothing changed,” Aoki said. “It was such an important fight in my career, and I lost. But I did my best, and I have no regrets. I’m proud of what I’ve done.

“It’s been already two months after that match, and I’m heading into another fight this week. Because I have an upcoming fight, I feel like time flies. This is how we move on. I lost my last fight, but that doesn’t mean (my career is) a disappointment. I’ve been doing this sport since 2003 – that’s almost two decades. If I count grappling matches, I’ve been fighting more, and I’ve lost many fights.”

Aoki has achieved a lot throughout his career, capturing both the Shooto and ONE Championship belts. At 39, he’ll be 20 years the senior of his opponent Ruotolo, but Aoki thinks that’s only a testament to his longevity.

“I’m proud of myself that I overcome (these hardships) all the time and keep moving on,” Aoki said. “It’s a precious thing to become a champion, but I don’t really care about how many wins I have or if I am the champion or not. More than that, I feel pride in my ability to keep fighting even though when it’s not good and tough timing in my career. The value is in how you are living, never giving up, and keep moving forward. And don’t be controlled by a win or a loss. So, I’ll keep moving forward.”

He continued, “I saw some videos of Kade’s fights. He’s strong, but he’s also part of a new generation. They are ‘new age.’ I’m really honored that I’m able to fight with the young generation. This is weird to say, but it’s kind of my job to get choked out from them too because at some point, we need to pass the baton, right?  But I plan to fight against this new style. I will not conform to it. I will stick to my old-school, classic style, show my discipline, and challenge myself. And I believe I’m still young. Age doesn’t matter to me. I don’t care about the number, and I know I can continue to fight for a long time.”

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ONE X results, prelims live stream

Follow along with complete results of ONE Championship’s massive 10-year anniversary event in Singapore.

ONE Championship’s 10-year anniversary event, ONE X, takes place Saturday at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore, with a 20-fight lineup that includes 11 MMA bouts and a special bout involving one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time.

In the main event, atomweight champion [autotag]Angela Lee[/autotag] returns from a two-and-a-half year absence to defend her tile against [autotag]Stamp Fairtex[/autotag]. And in the co-main event, former UFC flyweight champion [autotag]Demetrious Johnson[/autotag] steps into an unknown realm against muay Thai champion [autotag]Rodtang Jitmuangnon[/autotag] in a mixed-rules bout scheduled for alternating rounds of muay Thai and MMA.

Also on the main card, flyweight champion [autotag]Adriano Moraes[/autotag] puts his title on the line against [autotag]Yuya Wakamatsu[/autotag], while Japanese legends [autotag]Yoshihiro Akiyama[/autotag] and [autotag]Shinya Aoki[/autotag] square off in a highly anticipated 170-pound matchup.

Recaps of the four main card MMA bouts (beginning at 8 a.m. ET) and full results can be seen below.

ONE X pre-fight press conference staredowns video and highlight photo gallery

Check out the photos from the ONE X pre-fight press conference and highlight photo gallery.

Fight week for ONE X is underway ahead of Saturday’s 10-year anniversary event.

On Wednesday, competitors of the event, which features muay Thai, kickboxing, submission grappling, mixed rules, and MMA fights, came face-to-face after the pre-fight press conference.

In MMA competition, the main card features two title fights. In the main event, [autotag]Angela Lee[/autotag] will defend her atomweight championship against [autotag]Stamp Fairtex[/autotag] and [autotag]Adriano Moraes[/autotag] will put his flyweight title on the line against [autotag]Yuya Wakamatsu[/autotag]. Also, a long-standing rivalry between Japanese legends [autotag]Shinya Aoki[/autotag] and [autotag]Yoshihiro Akiyama[/autotag] will be settled as they meet in a lightweight contest.

Also in action is former UFC flyweight champion [autotag]Demetrious Johnson[/autotag], who will compete in a hybrid rules fight against [autotag]Rodtang Jitmuangnon[/autotag]. Rounds will be alternated between muay Thai and MMA rules.

Watch the full pre-fight press conference staredowns in the video above and check out the photo gallery below.

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How to watch ‘ONE X’: Fight card, start time, live stream

ONE Championship is back Saturday to commemorate its 10-year anniversary with “ONE X,” which includes two MMA title fights.

ONE Championship is back on Saturday to commemorate its 10-year anniversary with “ONE X,” which includes two MMA title fights.

Here’s how to watch the “ONE X” card from Singapore, where women’s atomweight champion Angela Lee (10-2) puts her title on the line against Stamp Fairtex (7-1) and flyweight champion Adriano Moraes (19-3) defends against Yuya Wakamatsu (14-4).

Shinya Aoki gets his wish, will face Yoshihiro Akiyama in a clash of Japanese legends at ONE X

After calling him out, Shinya Aoki will get his opportunity to face Yoshihiro Akiyama in March.

ONE Championship continues to stack its March event by adding an exciting welterweight matchup between two legends of Japanese MMA.

At ONE X on March 26, [autotag]Shinya Aoki[/autotag] will get his wish by facing [autotag]Yoshihiro Akiyama[/autotag] at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. The two men will meet at 170 pounds, ONE officials confirmed with MMA Junkie.

After a grappling event in Tokyo, Aoki (47-9) directly confronted Akiyama (15-7) and asked him why he declined a previous fight offer. Akiyama explained there was an injury and other circumstances that prevented the fight from coming together, but also stated he was open to taking the matchup at a later time.

The stars have aligned for the bout to take place at ONE X, the date Aoki suggested.

Aoki, 38, will bring a wealth of experience from 56 professional bouts along with his grappling prowess to put his four-fight win streak on the line against a fellow legend. Aoki will enter on the heels of a first-round armbar finish of Eduard Folayang last April.

Akiyama, 46, affectionately known as “Sexyama,” will enter on the momentum of a first-round finish of his own. The seven-fight UFC veteran knocked out Sherif Mohamed at ONE: King of the Jungle in February 2020.

With the addition, the ONE X lineup includes:

  • Angela Lee vs. Stamp Fairtex – for women’s atomweight title
  • Adriano Moraes vs. Yuya Wakamatsu – for flyweight title
  • Shinya Aoki vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama
  • Demetrious Johnson vs. Rodtang Jitmuangnon

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Tears of joy and defeat: Go behind the scenes at ‘ONE Championship 109: King of the Jungle’

Go behind the scenes for instant reaction from the fighters after their respective fights at “ONE Championship 109: King of the Jungle” in Singapore.

The most recent ONE Championship show marked the first instance of a major MMA organization taking significant steps to combat the spread of the coronavirus, as the promotion placed “ONE Championship 109: King of the Jungle” behind closed doors on Friday, Feb. 28.

The event played out to a virtually empty arena at Singapore Indoor Stadium, as the fighters battled it out inside the ONE Championship circle while the fans stayed in their homes, and Asia began the routine we all now recognize as “self-isolation” and “social distancing.”

The night’s main event featured a rematch for the ONE atomweight women’s kickboxing title, as America’s [autotag]Janet Todd[/autotag] avenged her prior loss to Thailand’s [autotag]Stamp Fairtex[/autotag] to capture her first ONE title after another highly-competitive battle.

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It was a disappointing night for Singapore’s own [autotag]Amir Khan[/autotag] (12-7), who was submitted by rising Japanese prospect [autotag]Kimihiro Eto[/autotag] (17-5), while Asian MMA legend [autotag]Yoshihiro Akiyama[/autotag] (15-7) defied his 44 years to knock out [autotag]Sherif Mohamed[/autotag] (9-6) in the first round of their welterweight bout.

There was also an impressive win for Florida’s [autotag]Troy Worthen[/autotag] (7-0), who extended his unbeaten record with a dominant victory over New Zealand’s [autotag]Mark Abelardo[/autotag] (19-7).

ONE’s cameras were on hand to capture the emotion of the fighters after their respective bouts as they headed back to the locker room on one of the more unusual nights of their fighting careers. Check out their reactions, featuring tears of joy and defeat, via the video above.

And if you’ve got some extra time to kill, be sure to stick around at the end of the behind-the-scenes video, as ONE have included the full fight from Todd’s title bout with Fairtex.

ONE Championship 109 video highlights: Get your ‘Sexy’ on

ONE Championship 109 was contested behind close doors due to coronavirus concerns, but that’s not the reason to check out these highlights.

ONE Championship 109 proved an interesting card for the Asian promotion, which elected to contest the card behind close doors due to the spreading coronavirus epidemic. But that’s not the reason to check out these highlights.

After all, for many, sport is about taking one’s mind off the rigors of the world and simply being entertained. With that in mind, ONE brings you “Sexyama.”

This weekend’s ONE Championship 109 event took place at Singapore Indoor Stadium. In the featured MMA bout of the night, Japan’s [autotag]Kimihiro Eto[/autotag] (17-5) picked up an impressive submission win over [autotag]Amir Khan[/autotag] (12-7). But for an international audience, the promotional debut of [autotag]Yoshihiro Akiyama[/autotag] (15-7) was the real story, especially when the 44-year-old master of sexy delivered with a first-round knockout of Egypt’s [autotag]Sherif Mohamed[/autotag] (9-6).

Check out highlights of all the night’s top bouts, including a women’s kickboxing world title fight, in the video above.

Yoshihiro Akiyama calls for South Korea event following knockout win at ONE Championship 109

After his stunning knockout in Singapore, Asian MMA superstar Yoshihiro Akiyama called for ONE Championship to take a show to South Korea.

[autotag]Yoshihiro Akiyama[/autotag] has always been a man of few words, but his performance at “ONE Championship 109: King of the Jungle” certainly made a big statement.

Akiyama (15-7) starched Egyptian Sherif Mohamed with a perfectly-timed right-hand counter in the first round of their welterweight bout at an empty Singapore Indoor Stadium – the event being forced behind closed doors due to the ongoing coronavirus epidemic in the region – and made clear his desire to compete in South Korea later this year.

“It was a big pity I couldn’t meet the Singaporean people, but it was great that some people could watch it on TV,” he said backstage after his win. “I want, as soon as possible in Korea, ONE Championship.”

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The promotion’s initial schedule for 2020 had an event penciled in for Seoul on June 19, but the up-to-date calendar now has ONE taking an event to Shanghai, China the following day instead.

Akiyama will hope his influence will persuade the ONE Championship bosses to squeeze in a South Korea date before the end of 2020, by which time he will be 45.

But, despite his age, the Japanese-Korean MMA veteran is still looking to improve.

“I am really happy, but I think I could move more during the bout,” he said. “He had a lot of power, and also a strong heart. He touched me in different parts of my face. I’ve learned that I need to work more on my footwork.”

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