ONE Championship: “Fight there with Takeru” - Taiki Naito hopes to be part of Japan event next after upset win over Johan Estupinan

29-year-old Japanese Muay Thai veteran 'Silent Sniper' Taiki Naito is beaming following a massive victory over highly regarded 'Panda Kick' Johan Estupinan last weekend, and he wants to return home for his next fight.

Naito took home a hard-fought majority decision victory after three rounds of solid action against Estupinan at the recently concluded ONE Fight Night 32: Nakrob vs. Jaosuayai on Prime Video.

Speaking to veteran MMA reporter Nick Atkin of Bangkok Post in a recent interview, Naito says he wants to fight back home in Japan next, and against none other than 'The Natural Born Krusher' Takeru Segawa himself.

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'Silent Sniper' said:

"It’s going to be within this year, and if there’s a big fight [card] in Japan, I’d love to fight there with Takeru. And I'm very confident this fight will entertain the whole Japan."

A showdown between Taiki Naito and Takeru Segawa would be absolute fireworks if it were to happen, so here's a plea to the fight gods.

ONE Fight Night 32: Nakrob vs. Jaosuayai on Prime Video went down live from the historic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, last Saturday, June 7. Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action via replay on-demand with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.

Taiki Naito vows to win his next fight by finish and get the elusive bonus: "I will win that by KO"

Just days removed from a big victory at ONE Fight Night 32 on Prime Video, and 'Silent Sniper' Taiki Naito is already looking forward to his next fight.

And next time, the 29-year-old Japanese stalwart says he vows to finish his opponent, whoever that may be, and make a case for the US$50,000 bonus which he feels has eluded him.

Naito said:

"Yes, in the first round also, and overall, I believe I got two knockdowns. The bonus can be in the ring on the night fight, I will win that by KO."

Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding Taiki Naito's next fight.

About the author

Dan is an MMA writer with 10+ years of overall experience. Before his ongoing tenure at Sportskeeda, Dan got the opportunity to be at the forefront of the sport by contributing to ONE Championship and Fight Game Asia. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology.

Dan’s connection to MMA started during the early days of the UFC and ONE Championship. He previously practiced boxing and ranks Demetrious Johnson, Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, Jon Jones, and Fedor Emelianenko as the top five MMA fighters of all time.

He has covered several events onsite and on the ground for ONE Championship and hopes to continue doing so. He ensures that he churns out accurate articles by citing only legitimate sources and getting firsthand accounts through exclusive interviews whenever required.

Dan feels MMA fighter pay seems like an issue because it often gets compared to what fighters earn in boxing but that MMA will eventually catch up in the future.

His other interests include soccer and video games.

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Edited by C. Naik