WATCH: Japanese star Hiroki Akimoto unleashes unstoppable momentum in dominant ONE debut against Josh Tonna
Former ONE bantamweight kickboxing world champion Hiroki Akimoto returns to the Circle on Friday, May 3 for a showdown with Chinese star Wei Rui at ONE Fight Night 22.
After seeing his five-fight unbeaten streak snapped against Thai star Petchtanong Petchfergus in his last outing, the Japanese star returns intent on earning another shot at the gold he once held.
To get ONE Championship fans adequately hyped up for Akimoto's long-awaited return, the promotion is looking back at Akimoto's impressive debut against former ISKA champion Josh Tonna at ONE: Hero's Ascent in 2019.
"Before former ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Hiroki Akimoto returns to action against Chinese superstar Wei Rui at ONE Fight Night 22 on Prime Video on May 3, relive his incredible ONE debut against Australian striking ace Josh Tonna in 2019!"
Akimoto walked away with a unanimous decision victory, the first of many wins inside the Circle. Overall, he went 6-2 in ONE, including a world title-winning performance against Capitan Petchyindee at the promotion's 10th-anniversary showcase ONE X.
Hiroki Akimoto faces a tough test in former K-1 world champion Wei Rui
Determined to once again feel the weight of 26 pounds of gold around his waist, Hiroki Akimoto makes his first appearance since November 2022 for a showdown against K-1 Kickboxing champion Wei Rui at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.
In 2017, Wei won the K-1 World Grand Prix Lightweight Championship Tournament. He would go on to claim the Japanese promotion's lightweight title, becoming the first Chinese world champion in K-1 history. Wei lost the title in 2018, but he has not lost since, riding a 20-fight unbeaten streak into his ONE Championship debut.
Will Hiroki Akimoto re-establish himself as ONE's top contender in the bantamweight kickboxing division, or will Wei Rui play spoiler and set the stage for a scrap with current bantamweight kickboxing and Muay Thai king Jonathan Haggerty?
ONE Championship fans in the United States can watch ONE Fight Night 22 live and for free via Amazon Prime Video in U.S. primetime on Friday, May 3.