Masaaki Noiri seeks revenge in ONE SAMURAI featherweight quarterfinal against Liu Mengyang

At ONE SAMURAI 2, scheduled for August 8, former interim featherweight champion Masaaki Noiri will clash with Liu Mengyang in the tournament’s quarterfinals, aiming to reverse a December 2024 defeat that marked his first back-to-back losses. The fight takes place live from Tokyo’s EBARA WAVE Arena and will be streamed online. Liu, who stepped in on short notice for that earlier meeting, secured a unanimous decision after knocking Noiri down early, then continued a three-fight winning streak, including a knockout of Tawanchai PK Saenchai.

Noiri, now 33, says he has refined his technique and prepared for both the pressure style Liu displayed and the longer-range approach he originally expected. Victory would move Noiri into the elite eight, bringing him closer to a title shot against current champion Superbon. The bout also carries symbolic weight as Noiri aims to uphold Japan’s striking legacy following the retirement of Takeru Segawa.