At ONE 168: Denver, an exciting mixed martial arts showdown between Hiroba Minowa and Sanjar “Tornado” Zakirov will bolster the card for ONE’s return to North America.
The strawweight stars will meet in primetime USA on Friday, September 6, with Minowa putting his No. 4 ranking on the line in a crucial bout at Ball Arena.
Since joining the world's largest martial arts organization in 2020, Minowa has only competed among the upper echelons of the division.
Both of his opponents are top-five ranked, including two ONE Strawweight MMA World Champions.
However, that resulted in him suffering three decision losses to currently ranked No. 1 Jared Brooks, No. 2 Bokang Masunyane, and No. 3 Gustavo Balart.
Undaunted, the 24-year-old Japanese fighter knows he has the skills to beat the best, and he showed his tenacity by bouncing back to win against Jeremy Miad at ONE Fight Night 23 earlier this month.
Minowa, aiming for a winning streak, will face another tough test in Zakirov.
The rising star from Uzbekistan boasts a perfect 10-0 MMA record, including nine knockouts, and has proven to be a threat at any range.
The 21-year-old earned this big opportunity with three consecutive wins on ONE Friday Fights, with TKO wins over Ryosuke Honda and Dave Banguichiro being the biggest highlights.
“Tornado” will be looking to display his well-rounded skillset against the wrestling-focused Minowa and knows a win would take his career to the next level.
Minowa will be reluctant to cede his hard-earned status to an opponent on fire, but Zakirov has the momentum and confidence to turn things around in the biggest moment of his professional career so far.
The bout will join a powerful lineup of superstars from the worlds of mixed martial arts, including MMA, Muay Thai, and submission grappling, in ONE Championship’s return to the United States.
