The thrilling conclusions of five bouts resulted in substantial financial rewards when ONE 173 presented its grandest showcase of 2025. Several competitors were awarded $50,000 performance bonuses following their impressive finishes that captivated the audience at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena.
Yuya Wakamatsu and Christian Lee successfully defended their ONE MMA World Titles with dominant second-round TKO triumphs at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri on Sunday, November 16. Both champions faced challenges before executing decisive finishing sequences, earning them bonuses from ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong.
Wakamatsu undertook his initial title defense against incumbent strawweight titleholder Joshua Pacio. The Japanese athlete overcame early difficulties as Pacio surprised him with concise hooks, and subsequently endured a guillotine choke attempt from the Filipino icon.
The flyweight titleholder seized Pacio’s back and unleashed strikes and grounded knee strikes during the initial round. Despite the continuous offensive, Pacio demonstrated resilience and persevered until the second round.
His resistance proved fleeting. Wakamatsu landed a precise combination, sending the challenger to the ground at 54 seconds into round two, followed by a series of knees to the head until the referee halted the match.
Lee inflicted the first professional defeat upon undefeated Turkish challenger Alibeg Rasulov in their lightweight title rematch. The two-division ONE World Champion thwarted every takedown attempt before connecting with a knee to the body and a high kick in the second round.
As Rasulov attempted another takedown, Lee countered, securing a D’Arce choke. He delivered grounded knee strikes until the referee intervened at 2:32 of round two, enhancing his record to 18-4 with 17 decisive victories.
Takeru, Ruotolo, Suakim attain remarkable bonus-worthy victories at ONE 173
Takeru Segawa secured his inaugural ONE Championship victory on his home turf. He defeated Denis Puric via TKO at 2:49 of round two after achieving four knockdowns. The former three-division K-1 Champion unsettled the Canadian-Bosnian veteran with diverse offensive maneuvers in the initial round, resulting in two knockdowns.
Puric retaliated aggressively with powerful punches in round two. However, the Japanese star proved too formidable, scoring two additional knockdowns, forcing the stoppage. He improved to 45-5 while positioning himself for another opportunity against Rodtang Jitmuangnon.
Tye Ruotolo continued his seamless MMA transition. He submitted undefeated Japanese talent Shozo Isojima with a rear-naked choke at 2:26 of round one. The three-time ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion displayed developing striking skills before transitioning the fight to the ground.
He employed ground-and-pound tactics before seizing the back position and executing the finish. As a result, he maintained his undefeated status in mixed martial arts while acquiring another bonus.
Suakim Sor Jor Tongprajin surmounted early difficulties to achieve an impressive TKO victory over Jake Peacock at 26 seconds of round three. He endured challenges in the opening round. Subsequently, the three-division Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion felled the British-Canadian competitor with a devastating left hook in the final round, improving his record to 155-59.
