The return of ‘Sexiyama’ did not go as hoped at ONE Championship: Legendary Quest. Unless you’re Agilan Thani or a fan of his, of course. Japan’s Yoshihiro Akiyama returned to MMA for the first time in roughly four years at ONE’s Legendary Quest card in Shanghai, China on Saturday. The former UFC and Dream star, also known for his judo career and even a reality TV show, was in the co-main event. Yet while he had some bright spots early, the fight devolved into a slugfest, with Thani coming out with the decision in the end.

Entertaining, but not the return Akiyama wanted. In the main event, meanwhile, young dual-sport champ Stamp Fairtex — who holds atomweight gold in both Kickboxing and Muay Thai — defended her Mauy Thai title against teenage sensation Alma Juniku. The fight went the distance, with both girls having their moment. But it was Fairtex getting the nod, though it’s likely Juniku has a bright future in the sport.

Check out the video above for highlights from all the action at ONE Championship: Legendary Quest. For more coverage of the event, check out our Legendary Quest page.

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ONE Championship returned to Shanghai, China on Saturday with Legendary Quest. The card saw atomweight Muay Thai champ Stamp Fairtex retain her title, earning a decision win against teenage challenger Alma Juniku. Fairtex, herself barely in her 20s, likely has a long run ahead of her, as she currently holds two belts in ONE. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the pair meet again, as Juniku still has plenty of time to grow.

Former UFC fighter Yoshihiro Akiyama, meanwhile, made his debut at Legendary Quest — but after a three-round war, the decision did not go his way. Akiyama was outlasted by Agilan Thani, and is the most recent UFC transplant to fall in his ONE debut.

Check below for a gallery of highlights from Legendary Quest. If you missed them, here are the results.

ONE Championship: Legendary Quest Results:

Main Card

Stamp Fairtex def. Alma Juniku by unanimous decision – for the ONE women’s atomweight Muay Thai championship
Agilan Thani def. Yoshihiro Akiyama by unanimous decision
Zhang Chenglong def. Tyler Hardcastle by knockout, Round 1, 1:54 – ONE Super Series kickboxing
Han Zi Hao def. Andrew Miller by knockout, Round 2, 2:36- ONE Super Series Muay Thai
Koyomi Matsushima def. Kwon Won Il by unanimous decision
Tarik Khbabez def. Anderson Silva by unanimous decision – ONE Super Series Kickboxing
Reinier De Ridder def. Gilberto Galvao by TKO, Round 2, 0:57
Rodlek PK. Saenchaimuaythaigym def. Liam Harrison by unanimous decision – ONE Super Series Muay Thai

Preliminary Card

Chen Lei def. Antjony Engelen by unanimous decision
Fan Rong def Sherif Mohamed by TKO, Round 2, 3:50
Niu Kang Kang def. Eric Kelly by unanimous decision
Yoon Chang Min def. Trestle Tan by TKO, Round 1, 4:05
Itsuki Hirata def. Angelie Sabanal by submission (Americana), Round 1, 2:59
Phoe Thaw def. Victorio Senduk by knockout, Round 1, 4:17

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At 43 years old, and four years removed from his last UFC fight, Yoshihiro Akiyama was one of the more unlikely additions to the ONE Championship roster lately. The Japanese fighter, however, remains a popular figure in Asia, in the sport, and clearly felt he had something left to give. Saturday in Shanghai, China at ONE’s Legendary Quest card, Akiyama gave all he had against Agilan Thani. Thani, a former welterweight title challenger who had come up short to Ben Askren, did not give the Japanese star a warm welcome to the promotion.

Akiyama came out looking strong, finding some success on the feet early, which led to a judo throw takedown. But as the round wore on, Thani began to take control. His grinding pace began to wear Akiyama down, but a knee by Thani connected low, sending Japan’s ‘Sexiyama’ crashing to the canvas in pain. That gave him five minutes to recover, while Thani paced nervously in his corner. A No Contest was in the air.

Akiyama took nearly the full block of recovery time, and had to be helped to his feet. Yet he chose to continue, and immediately fired off a front kick. Thani would answer with a kick of his own, and hold the edge on the feet, connecting with several strikes by round’s end.

It was hard to imagine that Akiyama wasn’t still feeling that low blow. In the second, he barely avoided an early flying knee attack. Later in the round, adding insult to injury, he was dumped out of the ring by Thani, slipping between the ropes during a takedown attempt. Thani would land a few belly-to-back takedowns from there, but as time progressed, Thani faded. He found himself hemmed in. Trapped in the corner. Akiyama had an opening, but as the fight devolved into a slugfest, he simply didn’t have enough left in the tank himself. That, despite Thani practically standing still, hands low.

In the third, Thani found his second wind. Akiyama did not. The slugfest continued, but it was Thani landing more, moving just a little better. Akiyama refused to go away easy, firing a late spinning backfist, and trading to the end.

It just wasn’t enough. Thani took home the unanimous decision win when it went to the judges. Yet another UFC star had come up short in his ONE Championship debut. Yet unlike Eddie Alvarez, Yushin Okami, and Sage Norhtcutt before him, Akiyama at least went the distance in a highly entertaining co-main event fight.

Official Result: Agilan Thani def. Yoshihiro Akiyama by unanimous decision

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ONE Championship returned to Shanghai, China on Saturday, bringing it’s Legendary Quest card to the Baoshan Arena. In the main event, a women’s atomweight Muay Thai title fight saw Stamp Fairtex defend her championship against Alma Juniku.

Making his ONE Championship debut on the card, meanwhile, was former UFC fighter Yoshihiro Akiyama. ‘Sexiyama’ was tasked with taking on standout Agilan Thani, and would be looking to avoid the struggles of other UFC transplants including Eddie Alvarez, Sage Northcutt, and fellow countryman Yushin Okami.

Check below come fight time for full results, and watch the live stream above where available!

ONE Championship: Legendary Quest Results:

Main Card

Stamp Fairtex def. Alma Juniku by unanimous decision – for the ONE women’s atomweight Muay Thai championship
Agilan Thani def. Yoshihiro Akiyama by unanimous decision
Zhang Chenglong def. Tyler Hardcastle by knockout, Round 1, 1:54 – ONE Super Series kickboxing
Han Zi Hao def. Andrew Miller by knockout, Round 2, 2:36- ONE Super Series Muay Thai
Koyomi Matsushima def. Kwon Won Il by unanimous decision
Tarik Khbabez def. Anderson Silva by unanimous decision – ONE Super Series Kickboxing
Reinier De Ridder def. Gilberto Galvao by TKO, Round 2, 0:57
Rodlek PK. Saenchaimuaythaigym def. Liam Harrison by unanimous decision – ONE Super Series Muay Thai

Preliminary Card

Chen Lei def. Antjony Engelen by unanimous decision
Fan Rong def Sherif Mohamed by TKO, Round 2, 3:50
Niu Kang Kang def. Eric Kelly by unanimous decision
Yoon Chang Min def. Trestle Tan by TKO, Round 1, 4:05
Itsuki Hirata def. Angelie Sabanal by submission (Americana), Round 1, 2:59
Phoe Thaw def. Victorio Senduk by knockout, Round 1, 4:17

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Next month’s ONE Championship: Legendary Quest card is complete, with the addition of a final two bouts. The promotion announced the news Friday (Thursday for those in North America). The event will see the Asian MMA powerhouse return to Shanghai, China on June 15.

Among the standouts on the card, Yoshihrio Akiyama will take on Agilan Thani in the evening’s co-main event. It will be the promotional debut for the former UFC star ‘Sexyama.’ He’ll be hoping to avoid the fates of Eddie Alvarez, Yushin Okami, and Safe Northcutt, all of whom were finished in their ONE debuts.

In the main event, Stamp Fairtex will defend the ONE atomweight muay thai title against Alma Juniku.

The latest additions to the card include a ONE Super Series bantamweight kickboxing match between Zhang Chenglong and Tyler Hardcastle. In MMA action, meanwhile, featherweights Niu Kang Kang (5-1) and Eric Kelly (12-7) collide. Kelly will be looking to snap a debilitating six fight losing skid in the fight.

The full ONE Championship: Legendary Quest card breaks down as follows:

Stamp Fairtex (c) vs. Alma Juniku – ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Championship
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Agilan Thani
Zhang Chenglong vs. Tyler Hardcastle – ONE Super Series kickboxing – bantamweight
Han Zi Hao vs. Andrew Miller – ONE Super Series Muay Thai – bantamweight
Koyomi Matsushima vs. Kwon Won Il
Tarik Khbabez vs. Anderson Silva – ONE Super Series kickboxing – light heavyweight
Reinier De Ridder vs. Gilberto “Giba” Galvao
Rodlek PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym vs. Liam Harrison – ONE Super Series Muay Thai – featherweight
Chen Lei vs. Anthony Engelen
Fan Rong vs. Sherif Mohamed
Niu Kang Kang vs. Eric Kelly
Victorio Senduk vs. Phoe Thaw
Yoon Chang Min vs. Trestle Tan
Itsuki Hirata vs. Angelie Sabanal

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China remains a key territory in MMA’s global expansion, and on Monday, Asia’s ONE Championship announced the first bouts for their return to the nation. Taking place in Shanghai, China, ONE Championship’s Legendary Quest will see Stamp Fairtex defend her atomweight Muay Thai title against Australia’s Alma Juniku. In addition to the title fight, the promotion also announced that former UFC star Yoshihiro Akiyama would make his ONE debut on the card.

Fairtex captured kickboxing gold last October at ONE’s Kingdom of Heroes card, defeating “Killer Bee” Kai Ting Chuang to claim the ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Championship. She added the Muay Thai title to her collection earlier this year, and will make her first title defense (in either discipline) against Juniku.

Yoshihiro Akiyama (14–6 (2)) — or Sexyama, if you prefer — makes his ONE Championship debut at 43 years of age, having not fought since 2015. That fight came back in the UFC, a split decision loss against Alberto Mina that easily could have gone in the Japanese fighter’s favor.

At Legendary Quest, Akiyama will look to avoid the fate suffered by fellow UFC transplants Eddie Alvarez, Yushin Okami, and Sage Northcutt, all of whom fell in their ONE Championship debuts. It won’t be easy, however. Akiyama has been paired up with Agilan Thani, a former welterweight title challenger.

Also announced for ONE Championship: Legendary Quest on Monday:

Tarik Khbabez vs. Anderson “Braddock” Silva – ONE Super Series Kickboxing
Reinier De Ridder vs. Gilberto “Giba” Galvao
Han Zi Hao of China vs. Andrew “Maddog Fairtex” Miller – ONE Super Series Muay Thai
Koyomi Matsushima vs. “Pretty Boy” Kwon Won Il
Rodlek PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym vs. Liam “Hitman” Harrison – ONE Super Series Muay Thai
Fan Rong vs. Sherif “The Shark” Mohamed
Chen Lei vs. Anthony Engelen
Victorio “Indra” Senduk vs. Phoe Thaw
Yoon Chang Min vs. Trestle Tan
Itsuki Hirata vs. Angelie “D’ Explorer” Sabanal

ONE Championship: Legendary Question takes place June 15 at the Baoshan Arena in Shanghai, China.

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