Bantamweights
Roman Alvarez (8-2-0) vs Daichi Takenaka (11-0-1)
Japan’s Daichi Takenaka will be looking to make a statement in his second outing under the ONE Championship banner. The former Shooto Pacific Rim featherweight champion got the win against South Korean Dae Hwan Kim in his debut fight but the manner of victory left a slightly bitter aftertaste. Takenaka won the fight via disqualification after Kim, caught in a rear naked choke while standing, dove into the ground, spiking the head of the 28-year-old Takenaka. It was a disappointing ending to what up until that moment had been an impressive performance from the ONE debutant. Takenaka, known primarily as a grappler; is strong, quick and is continually looking to position himself for a submission. The southpaw striker is also not bereft of skills in the stand-up department, his shots travel with enough power to unsettle any opponent, and while he prefers working on the ground, he is more than capable of winning fights on his feet.
Guam’s Roman Alvarez did not have the same success as Takenaka in his ONE debut this past June. Alvarez’s first fight for the promotion lasted just over a minute after he was submitted by Brazil’s Leandro Issa in the first round. A fighter who likes to push the pace and bring the action to his opponent Alvarez, does pack power in his shots even if they are not always delivered in the most technical manner. The 24-year-old did send Issa to the ground when they first exchanged punches, but he was unable to capitalize on his initial success. Alvarez will need to keep the fight standing against Takenaka to have any real chance of achieving victory. Takenaka will know that as ONE gears up for its push into the Japanese market the matchmakers will be watching this bout closely. The promotion will need to have a strong stable of fighters that local fans and media in Japan can get enthusiastic about it and they will no doubt be hoping that Takenaka will fit that bill.
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