It would take a lot a couple of defeat to finish the unimaginable profession of Japanese-South Korean MMA icon Yoshihiro ‘Sexyama’ Akiyama.
Issues didn’t go his manner this previous weekend when he returned in entrance of his dwelling followers for ONE Championship’s lengthy awaited return to Tokyo, Japan, for ONE 165.
In a primary of its type matchup, he confronted off with Dutch kickboxing legend Nieky Holzken in a particular guidelines tremendous combat that certainly didn’t go to plan for Akiyama.
The primary spherical happening beneath the boxing ruleset put him at a transparent drawback, and the 48-year previous veteran was unable to climate an early storm with a purpose to make it into the later rounds, which consisted of Muay Thai and MMA respectively.
This defeat hasn’t taken away any of his motivation and love of competitors, as he intends to return as soon as once more to proceed putting on a show for all of his fans.
‘Sexyama’ instructed Sportskeeda MMA after the combat that he’ll return to his pure rule and skillset of MMA within the close to future in order that he can get again to doing what he loves:
“MMA is my field, so the next time, maybe, I would like to compete in MMA for all the people and all the fans who are waiting for me. I don’t know what is going to happen [in regards to my future] but I will decide for the next what I’m going to do.”
Watch the complete interview under:
Competing in MMA will likely be a much better match for ‘Sexyama’
For ‘Sexyama’, getting the chance to compete in a first-of-its-kind matchup in opposition to a fellow legend could have absolutely been a draw for him.
Each Akiyama and Holzken have been certain to placed on a present for the Japanese followers contained in the Ariake Area however the home favorite was simply outmatched whilst the fight played out as a striking contest.
Had he made it to the third spherical, your entire script would have seemingly flipped on it’s head as soon as takedowns and grappling grew to become an choice for the 48-year-old.
If there’s one optimistic he can take out of this combat, it’s that he received to expertise returning to Japan in an enormous marquee matchup that taught him just a few issues.
An important being that if he desires to proceed competing at this stage, he wants to stay to what he does greatest contained in the circle.
ONE Championship followers that missed out on any of the motion from ONE 165 can watch your entire occasion again by way of the on-demand replay accessible at ONE’s official web site.
