Post-Event Report: "ONE SAMURAI 1 Press Conference & Open Workout"
ONE Championship JAPAN held a press conference and open workout for the martial arts event "ONE SAMURAI 1" on April 24, 2026. Fighters including Takeru and Rodtang appeared on stage, expressing their enthusiasm for the matches and heightening the tension for the April 29 event. A nationwide broadcast on Fuji Television was also announced.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 25, 2026 at 18:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 25, 2026 at 09:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 25, 2026 at 09:45 (13 min after Collected)
ONE Championship JAPAN held the "ONE SAMURAI Press Conference & Open Workout" at New Pier Hall on Friday, April 24, 2026.
A total of 16 fighters appeared on stage, including Takeru and Rodtang, who will compete in the interim Flyweight Kickboxing World Championship bout, as well as Yuya Wakamatsu, Yuki Yoza, and Nadaka Yoshinari, who will challenge for world title matches. They expressed their enthusiasm for the upcoming matches and faced off against their opponents. With less than a week until the event, a tense atmosphere filled the air during the face-offs.
Chatri Sityodtong, Founder and CEO of ONE Championship, took the stage and spoke passionately about "ONE SAMURAI 1," which will be held on April 29 (Wednesday/Holiday).
Chatri Sityodtong commented on the approaching "ONE SAMURAI 1": "ONE SAMURAI. This event marks the birth of new martial arts in Japan, and it is the beginning of martial arts aiming for even greater heights, starting from here." He continued, "ONE Championship promises to once again make Japan a wonderful and great stage for martial arts by hosting the highest level and most competitive events."
In the Q&A session, when asked about the impact of ONE Championship's expansion in the Japanese market, he replied, "I dream of martial arts becoming mainstream again for 125 million people across Japan. I want Japanese fighters to show the people of Japan the importance of having hope, strength, and dreams." He concluded with a powerful message, "Let's create new dreams together."
Shuntaro Tanaka, CEO of ONE Championship Japan, appeared at the press conference and announced the decision to broadcast "U-NEXT presents ONE SAMURAI 1 ~Takeru Retirement Match: Fated Rematch~" nationwide on Fuji Television Network on April 29 (Wednesday/Holiday), expressing his thoughts on the event.
Shuntaro Tanaka commented on "U-NEXT presents ONE SAMURAI 1 ~Takeru Retirement Match: Fated Rematch~," which will be broadcast on Fuji Television Network on April 29 (Wednesday/Holiday): "I worked on this with the feeling that if I couldn't do it this time, I really wouldn't be able to do it ever again. There were twists and turns, but with the cooperation of those who shared our vision of expanding this industry and creating a new era, we were able to achieve terrestrial broadcasting on Fuji Television." He also spoke about future prospects, saying, "I believe martial arts has the power to move people. I want to use television as an opportunity to increase the number of people who fall in love with martial arts and expand our fan base."
Fighters from the main 7 cards, including Rodtang and Takeru, faced off! They expressed their enthusiasm for the upcoming matches!
Takeru: "I've put everything I've done, all the physical strength left in my body, every single muscle fiber, into this." He added, "What I need at the very end is the ONE Championship belt, so I will definitely win and take the belt to end my active career."
Rodtang: "I am very happy to have been chosen as Takeru's final opponent. There is no doubt that April 29 will be a very spectacular and exciting match for everyone watching. Please look forward to it."
Yuki Yoza: "I believe I am the strongest in the bantamweight division right now. I have trained accordingly." He stated, "After Takeru retires, we have to carry the torch, so I have prepared for this fight with that determination. I have nothing but confidence."
Haggerty: "I believe everything I've done, including my training, has led me to this place (ONE SAMURAI). I'm looking forward to fighting in front of the Japanese fans."
Yuya Wakamatsu: "Overcoming myself remains the same." He commented, "On the day of the fight, I want to show the spirit of Bushido itself, rather than just technique, to excite everyone."
Hormirzaev: "I acknowledge that Wakamatsu is excellent, but I have also trained thoroughly, so of course I will be aiming for a finish during the match."
Nadaka Yoshinari: "I've been able to practice without any regrets, to the point where I would have no regrets even if I lost this fight, so I'm really looking forward to showing my best self."
A total of 16 fighters appeared on stage, including Takeru and Rodtang, who will compete in the interim Flyweight Kickboxing World Championship bout, as well as Yuya Wakamatsu, Yuki Yoza, and Nadaka Yoshinari, who will challenge for world title matches. They expressed their enthusiasm for the upcoming matches and faced off against their opponents. With less than a week until the event, a tense atmosphere filled the air during the face-offs.
Chatri Sityodtong, Founder and CEO of ONE Championship, took the stage and spoke passionately about "ONE SAMURAI 1," which will be held on April 29 (Wednesday/Holiday).
Chatri Sityodtong commented on the approaching "ONE SAMURAI 1": "ONE SAMURAI. This event marks the birth of new martial arts in Japan, and it is the beginning of martial arts aiming for even greater heights, starting from here." He continued, "ONE Championship promises to once again make Japan a wonderful and great stage for martial arts by hosting the highest level and most competitive events."
In the Q&A session, when asked about the impact of ONE Championship's expansion in the Japanese market, he replied, "I dream of martial arts becoming mainstream again for 125 million people across Japan. I want Japanese fighters to show the people of Japan the importance of having hope, strength, and dreams." He concluded with a powerful message, "Let's create new dreams together."
Shuntaro Tanaka, CEO of ONE Championship Japan, appeared at the press conference and announced the decision to broadcast "U-NEXT presents ONE SAMURAI 1 ~Takeru Retirement Match: Fated Rematch~" nationwide on Fuji Television Network on April 29 (Wednesday/Holiday), expressing his thoughts on the event.
Shuntaro Tanaka commented on "U-NEXT presents ONE SAMURAI 1 ~Takeru Retirement Match: Fated Rematch~," which will be broadcast on Fuji Television Network on April 29 (Wednesday/Holiday): "I worked on this with the feeling that if I couldn't do it this time, I really wouldn't be able to do it ever again. There were twists and turns, but with the cooperation of those who shared our vision of expanding this industry and creating a new era, we were able to achieve terrestrial broadcasting on Fuji Television." He also spoke about future prospects, saying, "I believe martial arts has the power to move people. I want to use television as an opportunity to increase the number of people who fall in love with martial arts and expand our fan base."
Fighters from the main 7 cards, including Rodtang and Takeru, faced off! They expressed their enthusiasm for the upcoming matches!
Takeru: "I've put everything I've done, all the physical strength left in my body, every single muscle fiber, into this." He added, "What I need at the very end is the ONE Championship belt, so I will definitely win and take the belt to end my active career."
Rodtang: "I am very happy to have been chosen as Takeru's final opponent. There is no doubt that April 29 will be a very spectacular and exciting match for everyone watching. Please look forward to it."
Yuki Yoza: "I believe I am the strongest in the bantamweight division right now. I have trained accordingly." He stated, "After Takeru retires, we have to carry the torch, so I have prepared for this fight with that determination. I have nothing but confidence."
Haggerty: "I believe everything I've done, including my training, has led me to this place (ONE SAMURAI). I'm looking forward to fighting in front of the Japanese fans."
Yuya Wakamatsu: "Overcoming myself remains the same." He commented, "On the day of the fight, I want to show the spirit of Bushido itself, rather than just technique, to excite everyone."
Hormirzaev: "I acknowledge that Wakamatsu is excellent, but I have also trained thoroughly, so of course I will be aiming for a finish during the match."
Nadaka Yoshinari: "I've been able to practice without any regrets, to the point where I would have no regrets even if I lost this fight, so I'm really looking forward to showing my best self."