Yoshihiro Akiyama Hits Highlight-Reel First-Round KO

Yoshihiro “Sexy Yama” Akiyama weathered an early blitz from Sherif “The Shark” Mohamed to get back in the win column with a stunning finish at ONE: KING OF THE JUNGLE.

The Japanese-South Korean superstar had to pick himself up off the canvas in the first minute of their clash at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Friday, 28 February, but he regained his composure to score an emphatic first-round knockout in “The Lion City.”

Egypt’s Mohamed opened up this welterweight mixed martial arts clash with powerful looping strikes. He charged at the Team Cloud representative, forced him to backpedal, and knocked him down for a second with a wild salvo of punches.

Akiyama regained his feet quickly, and took note of the warning shots from “The Shark.” He used his footwork to stay clear of Mohamed’s forward surge and then started to find the gaps in his opponent’s armor with sharp counter strikes.

“Sexy Yama” capitalized on the gaps Mohamed left with his wide hooks and dropped his straight right onto his oncoming foe’s chin several times. He also made the Egyptian Top Team man wince and recoil with heavy low kicks to the lead leg.

That did not stop the Egyptian’s charge into the fray, but his aggression was ultimately his undoing. Akiyama timed an inch-perfect right hook off the back foot when he lunged in again, and his rival’s momentum doubled the impact.

“The Shark” dropped to the canvas, and a final punch on the ground sealed the deal at the 3:04 mark of the opening stanza.

With the win, Akiyama improved his record to 15-7 (2 NC) and used his platform to make a call for the first one event in South Korea.

“I want, as soon as possible, ONE Championship in Korea!” he told Mitch Chilson.

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