Folayang rekindles rivalry with Aoki in ONE Championship Japan card

MANILA, Philippines -- After more than a year away from the ONE Championship ring, Filipino mixed martial arts legend Eduard Folayang will be back in action.

Folayang, now 41, is set to battle Shinya Aoki at ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang on March 23rd in Saitama Super Arena, Japan.

The Lions Nation MMA standout's last fight was in September 2023, when he knocked out Amir Khan.

Folayang has not seen action since then.

Now, he will face Aoki, whom he lost to in two of their three bouts.

After a technical knockout win over Aoki in 2016, the Japanese submitted Folayang in 2019 and 2021.

The Filipino will try to equalize in their storied rivalry.

Aside from the clash of the two former ONE lightweight world champions, Yuya Wakamatsu will take on Adriano Moraes in a flyweight MMA world championship matchup.

Rodtang Jitmuangnon will also slug it out against Takeru Segawa in a flyweight kickboxing war.

ONE Championship said it will announce more fights soon.