Takeru Segawa To Be Inducted Into Hall Of Fame At ONE SAMURAI 4 In October
ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong announced that Japanese kickboxing legend Takeru “Natural Born Krusher” Segawa will be inducted into the ONE Hall of Fame at ONE SAMURAI 4 in October.
The announcement comes in the wake of one of the most emotionally charged moments in ONE Championship history, as Takeru brought the curtain down on a legendary career by stopping Thai megastar and former ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon via fifth-round TKO to claim the ONE Interim Flyweight Kickboxing World Championship in his retirement fight.
The victory, which avenged a 2025 loss to the iconic Thai, unfolded in front of a rapturous home crowd at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, on April 29 and captivated martial arts fans watching all around the world.
Sityodtong did not mince his words when describing what Takeru’s career has meant to the sport and what his induction into the ONE Hall of Fame represents.
He said via Facebook:
“I am thrilled to announce that Takeru (46-5) will be inducted into the ONE Hall of Fame later this year, joining fellow legendary World Champions Demetrious Johnson, Bibiano Fernandes, and Aung La N Sang. In addition to his Hall of Fame induction, Takeru will receive a 10-gong salute for his retirement ceremony at ONE SAMURAI 4 in October.
“Takeru now retires as arguably the greatest Japanese kickboxer in history, first conquering Japan with titles in K-1 and then conquering the world with the most important World Title of his career on the world’s biggest stage of martial arts in ONE.”
When the referee waved off the contest and the official result was announced, Sityodtong placed 26 pounds of gold on Takeru’s shoulders.
In that moment, the legendary striker could not hold back his emotions. Tears streamed down his face as he clutched the belt the way a mother holds a newborn child, an image that will live long in the memories of everyone who witnessed it. It was the perfect ending to one of the most storied careers in the history of Japanese combat sports.
Takeru rode off into the sunset with a 46-5 career record that includes 28 finishes, among them three victories inside ONE Championship. Before arriving on the global stage, he had already conquered the Japanese kickboxing circuit, becoming a three-division K-1 Champion and defeating some of the finest strikers the sport has ever produced.
His transition to ONE brought him to the biggest stage of all, and he seized his moment on it in the most unforgettable fashion.
For Sityodtong, the night Takeru claimed his ONE World Title was not merely a great fight. It was a moment that transcended sports entirely:
“The world will forever remember this extraordinary moment in history. His spirit. His power. His tears. Takeru was a four to one underdog and somehow pulled off a miracle to top off a legendary career. In my opinion, the world witnessed the best version ever of Takeru that night. Without a doubt, Takeru goes down as one of the greatest World Champion Kickboxers in the history of the sport. What a fairytale!”
Now, the 34-year-old joins an elite group of martial arts immortals in the ONE Hall of Fame.
The greatest MMA fighter of all time and former ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, former longtime ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes, and former two-division ONE MMA World Champion Aung La “The Burmese Python” N Sang were all previously inducted, and the company Takeru now keeps speaks volumes about the legacy he has built.
