In his special rules super battle against Yoshihiro ‘Sexyama’ Akiyama, which will take place at ONE 165, Nieky Holzken is prepared to deliver a knockout that will be the stuff of legends. This coming Sunday, January 28, the multi-time Glory kickboxing world champion will be making his way inside Ariake Arena in Tokyo for a fight that will be unlike any other in the history of ONE Championship.
‘The Natural’ will compete against Yoshihiro Akiyama, a legendary mixed martial arts fighter who is 48 years old, in a bout that will combine the three different sports of boxing, Muay Thai, and mixed martial arts into a single event.
When Nieky Holzken was speaking to members of the media at the press conference for ONE 165, he made a veiled reference to the possibility of an epic knockout heading our way. He also stated that he is prepared to produce a night of bouts that will be unforgettable for fans in Japan as well as those who are watching the fights on worldwide pay-per-view.
When asked about his upcoming fight, Holzken stated, “I believe that I have a lot of knockout power right now, I’m ready to rumble, and I’m wishing all of the fans a good show.”
Following his most recent fight, in which he was defeated by Arian Sadikovic via unanimous decision, “The Natural” will be hoping to get back on track during this upcoming bout.
The unique ruleset for Nieky Holzken vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama explained
In the special rules superfight that will take place this coming Sunday, Nieky Holzken and Yoshihiro Akiyama will compete against each other at a catchweight of 187.25 pounds.
Boxing will be the first round, and both boxers have the opportunity to win by knockout, technical knockout, or by achieving three knockdowns that result in a mandatory technical knockout.
After the first round, the fight will continue on to the art of eight limbs, where the rules to win are virtually the same: knockout, technical knockout, or three knockdowns every round.
This is where things will start to become really exciting, assuming that the fight continues all the way through to the third round.
Within the last three minutes, the rules of ONE’s global mixed martial arts competition will be challenged. This indicates that takedowns and grappling will be allowed, and that punches, knees, and elbows to the head of an opponent who is grounded are completely within the bounds of the statute of limitations.
Fighting will take place in four-ounce mixed martial arts gloves throughout all three rounds, and each round will run for three minutes.
Who do you think will emerge victorious when two of the most iconic figures in the world of combat sports compete against each other.
This next Sunday, January 28, ONE 165 will be broadcast live on watch.onefc.com as part of a global pay-per-view event.
