ONE 165: 3 Fights You Can’t Miss On Superlek vs. Takeru Card

For the first time in over four years, ONE Championship returns to Tokyo, Japan, with a card that certainly makes up for the time that the promotion has spent away from "The Land of the Rising Sun."

ONE 165: Superlek vs. Takeru takes over the Ariake Arena this Sunday, 28 January, with a host of martial arts disciplines on show. Outside of the explosive main event between ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 and Takeru Segawa, there are many exciting contests to look forward to.

From mixed rules spectacles to top-five showdowns, the world's largest martial arts organization has all the sporting magic you could possibly need this weekend. With that, let's take a look at three fights you cannot miss at ONE 165.

1. Shinya Aoki vs. Sage Northcutt

Former ONE Lightweight MMA World Champion Shinya Aoki and Sage Northcutt's names have been intertwined for some time now. And after a previous cancellation, the pair will finally lock horns at ONE 165 in an epic lightweight showdown.

Aoki hasn't found success in ONE in his recent outings, falling to standouts such as Yoshihiro Akiyama, ONE Flyweight Submission Grappling World Champion Mikey Musumeci, and ONE lightweight submission grappling king Tye Ruotolo.

So if there's one place to turn his fortune around, it's on home soil in Tokyo, Japan. And with Northcutt's glorious return to action in 2023, there's no better opponent to do it against.

Northcutt has been gunning for the chance to fight the MMA pioneer for quite some time. "Super" had a monumental return from injury at ONE Fight Night 10 last May, submitting Ahmed Mujtaba in less than a minute.

So there's no doubt the blonde-haired battler will be hoping to earn the biggest scalp of his career against Aoki - and after promising to "hit him harder than he's ever been hit," Northcutt has ill intentions for the Japanese superstar.

2. Garry Tonon vs. Martin Nguyen

ONE Championship will also showcase a massive featherweight MMA battle when top contenders Garry Tonon and former two-weight ONE World Champion Martin Nguyen collide with a future shot at the gold hanging in the balance.

Fresh off back-to-back submission wins in 2023, #1-ranked contender Tonon could certainly seal his second shot at the weight bracket's World Title with a third consecutive victory over a former champion in Nguyen.

But for "The Situ-Asian," toppling Tonon will both insert him back into the championship picture, silencing those who've doubted his talents in recent outings. And after defeating Leonardo Casotti at ONE Fight Night 7 in February 2023, Nguyen has managed to climb back to the #3 spot.

Nguyen was the promotion's first-ever two-weight king. Before his time is up, the 34-year-old plans to hold gold once again. And "The Lion Killer" will be his ultimate litmus test to try and regain ground.

3. Nieky Holzken vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama

In a league of its own, the fight between kickboxing legend Nieky Holzken and MMA superstar Yoshihiro Akiyama will be a special rules contest that will potentially see the veterans compete across three different sports.

Wearing 4-ounce gloves, the opening round will take place under boxing rules. Should a stoppage not occur, the pair will advance to three minutes of Muay Thai. And following that, three minutes of MMA action.

Holzken has previously stated his desire to enter the all-encompassing sport, and this is the perfect way for him to dip his toes in should the fight make it to the third round. Meanwhile, it's a homecoming a long time in the making for "Sexyama."

The Japanese superstar hasn't competed since ONE X in March 2022, defeating Aoki with a second-round knockout. The special rules fixture was enough to bring him back into battle, and doing so on such an occasion in his home country will surely bring the best out of the legendary fighter.