ONE Championship drew its largest ever gate in Japan with Sunday’s ONE 172 card at Saitama Super Arena, sources told the Bangkok Post.
The show, which was headlined by a highly anticipated kickboxing super fight between Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Takeru Segawa, brought in an excess of US$2 million in ticket sales.
The event was also 95 per cent sold out, sources say, with 15,000 fans in attendance for a stacked card which also boasted four title fights.
Last year’s ONE 165 event at Ariake Arena also posted a US$2m gate, but that figure was topped at the weekend.
It was a successful return to Japan for the martial arts organisation, with ONE 172 delivering a multitude of shocking finishes.
More than a million fans tuned in live to the post-event press conference, where chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong addressed members of the international and Japanese media alongside the big winners from the card – including Rodtang, who knocked out Takeru in just 80 seconds.
Sunday’s event proved so popular ONE’s website even crashed, and some fans experienced issues trying to order the pay-per-view on the promotion’s in-house platform.
The show was eventually made free on ONE’s social channels including YouTube outside Japan, where local broadcaster U-NEXT streamed the PPV without any hitches.
“We hear you,” read a post on ONE Championship’s official X account. “Due to overwhelming demand for ONE 172, we experienced technical issues.
“We sincerely apologise for the issues and are working to make things right. Refunds will be issued, and we will provide further details as soon as possible. Please stay tuned.”