5 Massive Takeaways From ONE SAMURAI 4 In Tokyo
Tokyo’s Ariake Arena buzzed with anticipation this past Saturday, October 17, and ONE SAMURAI 4 delivered every bit of it.
A divisional king weathered the storm and emerged even stronger, a Japanese World Champion added another glorious chapter to his legend, and a former interim king fought his way into a final that could lead him back to 26 pounds of gold.
From Muay Thai and kickboxing to MMA and submission grappling, the card delivered highlight-reel finishes, hard-fought decisions, and a life-changing US$100,000 main roster contract for one of Japan’s brightest talents.
Here are five massive takeaways from an unforgettable night in the Japanese capital.
#1 Haggerty Delivers His Most Complete Kickboxing Clinic Yet
ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan “The General” Haggerty has produced plenty of big nights on the global stage. At ONE SAMURAI 4, he delivered his most complete one yet.
The 29-year-old was tested early, weathering a hook from Hiroki Akimoto in round one and a superman punch in the second. Still, the English striking specialist never panicked.
He stayed composed and waited for his moment. In the third stanza, the Team Underground and Knowlesy Academy star forced the former divisional king into a defensive shell, drove a knee straight through his guard to drop him, and kept up the pressure until the challenger’s corner threw in the towel just 42 seconds into the round.
Having already conquered two divisions in Muay Thai, flyweight and bantamweight, the Londoner now looks every bit as complete in kickboxing. He is a perfect 4-0 in the sport, with three successful World Title defenses following wins over Wei Rui and Yuki Yoza, plus a US$100,000 performance bonus for his best defense yet.
With Yod-IQ Or Pimolsri currently holding the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title, the road back to two-sport World Champion status could be the next chapter in a career that keeps rewriting its own ceiling.
#2 Nadaka Keeps Raising A Bar Only He Can Reach
Forty-three consecutive victories, and not a single defeat since July 2019. For Nadaka Yoshinari, winning has become second nature.
The ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion reads his opponents early, punishes the smallest mistake, and closes the show with a calmness that borders on unnerving. It is no surprise, then, that he remains a perfect 7-0 in ONE Championship, with each victory offering fresh evidence of why he is arguably the greatest striker on the planet today.
Malaysia’s Rifdean “Magic Boy” Masdor found that out firsthand this past Saturday. The knockout artist arrived with a five-fight winning streak, and he even landed a spinning backfist early. Nadaka’s reply was a crisp left hook that sent him to the canvas. His encore was even better: a left head kick that found its mark and ended the contest 58 seconds into round two.
The victory delivered a second successful World Title defense, a US$100,000 performance bonus, and a 72-6 record for the 25-year-old Eiwa Sports Gym product, who keeps finding new ways to win at the very highest level.
As it stands, the streak lives on, the gold stays in Japan, and the rest of the atomweight division is still searching for answers.
#3 Noiri Vs. Grigorian: A Final Built For Fireworks
Moments after Masaaki Noiri’s hand was raised, Marat Grigorian stepped into the Circle at ONE SAMURAI 4. The two locked eyes, and a crowd that had just watched one war suddenly started dreaming of another.
The 33-year-old Japanese standout, a former ONE Interim Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion, earned his place the hard way. He chipped away at Mohammad Siasarani with calf kicks, absorbed the Iranian’s best shots, and stood firm through a frantic final round to secure a split decision and book his spot in the final of the ONE SAMURAI Featherweight Kickboxing Tournament.
Grigorian, on the flip side, punched his ticket without throwing a single strike. His semifinal opponent Luo Chao was ruled out at the weigh-ins, sending the Armenian straight through to the final. It was hardly a free pass, though. The three-time Glory Kickboxing World Champion had already earned his spot in the last four with a unanimous decision over Mamuka Usubyan in the quarterfinals.
On paper, it is a fascinating clash of identities: Noiri’s unorthodox craft and composure against Grigorian’s relentless, fight-ending firepower. Above all, both men know exactly what is waiting on the other side.
The winner earns a shot at ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Superbon, and each has history with the Thai superstar. Noiri would get a rematch with the man who last beat him, while Grigorian would add a fourth installment to a rivalry that has already been nothing short of kickboxing excellence. Either way, the final, which takes place at a future ONE SAMURAI event, will be fireworks.
#4 Anane And Sinsamut Silence K-1 Champions
Two K-1 Champions stood in the path of Sinsamut “Aquaman” Klinmee and Nabil Anane in “The Land of the Rising Sun.” Both answered with authority.
Sinsamut went first and wasted little time. The Thai veteran closed out his lightweight kickboxing assignment with a thunderous right head kick that sent Shintaro “Smiling Warrior” Matsukura crashing to the canvas at 1:17 of round two. The finish lifted his record to 84-22 and earned him another US$50,000 performance bonus.
His Venum Training Camp and Team Mehdi Zatout teammate got his hand raised too, albeit through a far more patient approach. Facing Yoza, who had taken Haggerty the full five rounds in their World Title clash at ONE SAMURAI 1, Anane used every inch of his towering frame, peppering the Japanese star with punches and high kicks from range and meeting each advance with knees to the body.
Yoza found some joy with calf kicks in the second, but the 22-year-old Thai-Algerian held firm to secure a unanimous decision and improve to 42-7, a timely result that keeps the former ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion squarely in the bantamweight kickboxing conversation.
Different routes, same result, and two divisions firmly put on notice.
#5 A Legend Honored, Japan’s Finest Deliver
Ariake Arena paused on Saturday to celebrate one of Japan’s all-time greats. Former three-division K-1 Champion Takeru “Natural Born Krusher” Segawa was officially inducted into the ONE Hall of Fame, becoming just the fourth athlete to earn the honor.
It was a fitting tribute to a career that ended on the highest of notes, when he captured the ONE Interim Flyweight Kickboxing World Title in his April farewell to close out a remarkable journey on the grandest stage of combat sports. By the time he took his bow, a host of Japanese stars had already shown that the country’s future looks every bit as bright.
Itsuki “Android 18” Hirata led the charge, settling a 4-year-old score with Jihin “Shadow Cat” Radzuan. The 27-year-old mixed sharp striking with relentless takedowns to earn a unanimous decision, keeping her squarely in the ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title conversation.
Kota “Star” Abe, meanwhile, cashed in on his big opportunity. The Tribe Tokyo MMA product floored Shozo “Great Teacher” Isojima twice in their lightweight MMA battle en route to a first-round TKO that earned him a US$100,000 main roster contract.
Elsewhere, 20-year-old Shoma “The Destroyer of the Gale” Okumura put on a masterclass against Toki “Jet Boy” Tamaru in strawweight kickboxing, Ryoto Nishiyama needed just 58 seconds to stop Yu “Crazy Buster” Takeuchi, and debutant Masaki Takeura opened the night with a slick heel hook of Yoshinari “Garittochu” Fukushima in his lightweight submission grappling matchup.
