- Hiroki Akimoto and Wei Rui will meet again at ONE 173: Superbon vs Noiri on November 16 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan
- Their first encounter at ONE Fight Night 22 in 2024 produced a technical masterpiece that left fans craving more
- Wei from China is now the top-ranked bantamweight kickboxing contender, while Japanese Akimoto is 4th in that order
Two of the world’s most talented strikers will be looking to settle their unfinished business in the Circle, as #1-ranked bantamweight kickboxing contender Wei Rui faces #4-ranked Hiroki Akimoto in a highly anticipated rematch.
Their first encounter at ONE Fight Night 22 last year produced a technical masterpiece that left fans craving more. After an epic three-round barnburner, Wei’s sanda-influenced striking barely edged out the former ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion on the scorecards.
They will meet again at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri on November 16 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan. But this time, both warriors want to leave no doubt as to who the better man is.
For Hiroki Akimoto, this rematch with Wei Rui represents an opportunity to reclaim his standing in the division he once ruled.
The 32-year-old delivered a vintage performance against John “Hands Of Stone” Lineker at ONE 172 this past March to snap a painful three-fight skid. Now back on the winning track, the Japanese star wants to ride the wave of momentum and put on another remarkable display in front of his hometown crowd.
Akimoto told onefc.com:
“I’m really happy to be competing in the Japan event again, following my previous appearance. Just like last time, I’m honored to be fighting in Japan again. I’ll make sure to prepare thoroughly so I can deliver an even better performance than before.”
It wasn’t long ago that Akimoto tore through ONE’s stacked 145-pound weight class with a five-fight winning streak, capped off by a superstar-making performance to capture the gold at the historic ONE X in 2022.
But a tough run at the top saw the Evolve MMA athlete struggling to maintain his footing in a division filled with killer talent, as he dropped three consecutive bouts over the course of two years.
Armed with the lessons he learned from those setbacks, the Japanese veteran is determined not to let this opportunity for revenge against Wei go to waste:
“I’ve been calling for this rematch ever since our last fight, so I’m even more fired up now that it’s finally happening.
“Winning this fight will allow me to once again prove my value.”
While Hiroki Akimoto has his sights set on vindication, Wei Rui sees this rematch as a stepping stone to re-entering the World Title conversation.
After beating the Japanese fighter in his ONE debut, the former K-1 Champion earned a shot at the vacant ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title opposite British icon Jonathan “The General” Haggerty at ONE 171: Qatar this past February.
Wei succumbed via five-round unanimous decision in a close contest, and although he fought admirably, the Chinese veteran saw his 21-fight winning streak snapped after being outgunned for the duration of the bout.
The 34-year-old knows a victory over Akimoto will put him right back on the hunt for the elusive 26 pounds of gold, and he wants to do it in front of his hometown fans:
“I am very excited, this will be a journey full of memories and a sense of achievement. I also have many fans in Japan, which gives me more confidence.”
It goes without saying that both men have a mutual respect for each other’s skills.
Wei, in particular, relishes the chance to face Akimoto again because he believes the Japanese star gave him one of the toughest tests of his career. In a fight with heavy World Title implications, the Chinese star expects this rematch to eclipse the intensity of their initial meeting.
The #1-ranked contender shared:
“He is a very strong opponent, and in the last [fight] put a lot of pressure on me.
“After the last competition, we both got to know each other better. I think this [fight] will be more exciting and thrilling than the last one.”