ONE Championship achieved its largest-ever Japanese attendance as 15,000 fans packed Saitama Super Arena for ONE 172 on Sunday, March 23, generating over $2 million in ticket sales.
The event, which reached 95 percent capacity, surpassed last year’s ONE 165 card at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena. A stacked lineup featuring four world title fights culminated in Rodtang Jitmuangnon‘s shocking 80-second knockout of hometown hero Takeru Segawa in their flyweight kickboxing super-fight.
ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong expressed his happiness about the outcome at the ONE 172 post-event press conference.
“So I think if you had asked me before the event what would happen, I was very worried because actually, you know, I was second-guessing myself on the theme because I was afraid all the Japanese [fighters] would lose,” Sityodtong said.
Those fears proved unfounded as Japan’s fighting elite delivered multiple championship performances. Yuya Wakamatsu captured the ONE Flyweight MMA World Title, while Masaaki Noiri stunned featherweight Muay Thai king Tawanchai PK Saenchai to claim the interim kickboxing crown in his division.
“So I was very happy that there’s a balance of great action and the world’s best at it, and these two are among them,” Sityodtong said, expressing satisfaction with how the “Japan versus the world” theme played out.
The successful Japan showcase continues what has been a remarkable first quarter for the promotion in 2025. ONE 170 delivered a festival of finishes in January, followed by a memorable ONE 171 in Qatar in February, setting the stage for Sunday’s record-breaking event.
While Rodtang’s lightning-fast destruction of Takeru dominated post-event discussions, the card featured numerous shocking finishes across its championship bouts. ONE continues building momentum with each successive event.