The Japanese fighter was taking sustained damage but managed to land a left hook at the start of the second, and picked up the pace towards the end of the round, with Superlek doing his best Mohammed Ali impression in the corner as the bell sounded, slipping punch after punch in the boxer’s patented rope-a-dope style.

At this stage the Thai fighter looked firmly in control, but momentum shifted in the third round as Takeru started to unload with hooks to the body. Superlek was covering up and looked badly hurt, but stayed on his feet and managed to make it to the end of the round.

Despite Takeru being in the ascendancy, Superlek started to score with jabs and low kicks at the start of the fourth round. The Japanese fighter landed a couple of kicks to the body, but his opponent countered with a solid knee to the midsection.

Even though Superlek had dominated the early exchanges, the fight looked like it might be up for grabs in the final round, but the champion went back to the low kicks and was also finding a home for his step in knees to the midsection.

This time it was Takeru’s turn to land a jab followed by a straight cross. He followed that up with a left hand, before Superlek countered with a knee and took a quick look at the clock as they became embroiled in a clinch.

It was the first of three furtive glances at the clock from Superlek, but he was able to see out the round to take the decision win. The fight finished with the Thai on the floor after losing his footing throwing a head kick.

Superlek’s win also earned him a US$50,000 bonus, one of six fighters to be awarded this prize as the action intensified after a slow start, with the first five fights on the card all going the distance.

Garry Tonon was the first fighter to finish his opponent, submitting former lightweight and featherweight champion Martin Nguyen late in the opening round.

With the win, the American improved to 9-1 and, as well as the US$50,000 bonus, he might have earned himself a shot at the featherweight title. Nguyen slips to 15-7 and looks further away than ever from recapturing the belt he once held.

Marat Grigorian and Sittichai Sitsongpeenong have fought six times, but neither man has ever won quite as decisively as the Armenian did today. He put the Thai away with knees and punches to the body in the third round of their featherweight kickboxing fight and also picked up a handsome reward for his efforts.

Nieky Holzken took home a cheque for finishing his mixed-rules bout with Yoshihiro Akiyama in the second round, dropping his opponent twice in quick succession.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the night was the announcement that Sage Northcutt had been replaced by John Lineker. The American’s cornermen could not get visas and he withdrew at the last minute.

Lineker, who normally fights at bantamweight, stepped up to take on Shinya Aoki who typically competes two divisions higher. The size difference proved insurmountable and the Japanese fighter won with a first round rear naked choke.

Aoki improves to 48-11-0-1 and the US$50,000 bonus did not seem to cheer up the Japanese fighter, who was visibly upset this was the final fight on his ONE Championship contract. Lineker drops to 37-11.

In the co-main event Kade Ruotolo successfully defended his ONE Championship lightweight submission grappling title with a decision win. He beat Tommy Langaker and was awarded a US$50,000 bonus after putting on a sustained, albeit ultimately unsuccessful, effort to finish the fight.

ONE 165 (MMA unless stated): Kickboxing – Superlek Kiatmoo9 bt Takeru Segawa via Decision (Unanimous); Submission Grappling – Kade Ruotolo (c) bt Tommy Langaker via Decision (Unanimous); Shinya Aoki bt John Lineker via Submission (Rear-naked choke) at 3:00 of R1; Mixed rules – Nieky Holzken bt Yoshihiro Akiyama via TKO (Punches) at 1:40 of R1; Kickboxing – Marat Grigorian bt Sittichai Sitsongpeenong via KO (Knee and punch to the body) at 1:20 of R3; Garry Tonon bt Martin Nguyen via Submission (Rear-naked choke) at 4:41 of R1; Ayaka Miura bt Itsuki Hirata via Decision; (Unanimous); Yuya Wakamatsu bt Danny Kingad via Decision (Unanimous); Kickboxing – Rade Opačić bt Iraj Azizpour via Decision (Unanimous); Bokang Masunyane bt Keito Yamakita via Decision (Unanimous); Gustavo Balart bt Hiroba Minowa via Decision (Split).