ONE Championship will present three mixed martial arts ONE World Title fights at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri on Sunday, November 16, at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.
The historic card features seven title fights altogether across different sports, but here's what to expect on the MMA portion of the event.
Oumar Kane will defend his ONE Heavyweight MMA World Title against Anatoly Malykhin in the biggest rematch of the evening. The Russian seeks redemption after suffering his first career defeat to Kane at ONE 169 last November, where he lost the heavyweight championship via split decision. Malykhin previously held titles in three weight classes simultaneously before the setback, making him ONE's first three-division ruler before losing the heavyweight crown.
Kane became the first African-born titleholder in ONE Championship history with his victory over Malykhin and has since become a father while preparing for their rematch. The 33-year-old Senegalese wrestler represents his nation as its first world champion in any sport.
Christian Lee defends his lightweight MMA crown against undefeated Alibeg Rasulov in their highly anticipated rematch. Their initial meeting at ONE Fight Night 26 in December ended in a no contest after an accidental eye poke halted the action late in the second round, with Lee controlling the fight before the stoppage.
The 26-year-old Singaporean-American holds both the lightweight and welterweight titles, making him ONE's youngest two-division titleholder. Rasulov earned his title shot by dominating former champion Ok Rae Yoon with wrestling at ONE Fight Night 23, showcasing the Dagestan-bred grappling that has kept his 14-0 record perfect.
Lee has been seeking the opportunity to definitively prove his superiority after their inconclusive first meeting left questions unanswered about the lightweight division's hierarchy.
Yuya Wakamatsu puts his flyweight MMA title on the line against strawweight king Joshua Pacio in a cross-divisional bout that could create history for the Philippines. Pacio seeks to become his nation's first two-division MMA World Champion after recently defending his strawweight crown with a second-round TKO over Jarred Brooks at ONE 171 in February.
Wakamatsu captured the vacant flyweight championship with a first-round TKO over Adriano Moraes at ONE 172 in March, earning redemption after losing to Moraes at ONE X in 2022. The 30-year-old Japanese fighter makes his first title defense on home soil, having waited years for his championship opportunity after defeats to both Moraes and Demetrious Johnson tested his resolve.
Indian wrestling sensation Ritu Phogat returns against Japanese judoka Itsuki Hirata in atomweight action that could determine future title challengers. Both elite grapplers seek to establish themselves among the division's top contenders after recent setbacks against championship-level opposition.
Phogat made an emotional return at ONE 171 in February following an extended hiatus after giving birth to her son, though she suffered a first-round submission loss to Ayaka Miura. The 31-year-old daughter of legendary wrestling coach Mahavir Singh Phogat previously reached the ONE Atomweight World Grand Prix Championship Final before losing to Stamp Fairtex in 2021.
Hirata brings exceptional judo credentials and a recent victory over Arti Khatri at ONE Friday Fights 120 in August. The 25-year-old Japanese fighter has rebounded from a difficult stretch that included losses to Ham Seo-hee, Miura, and Victoria Souza.
