ONE 165’s Yoshihiro Akiyama: Hybrid Rules Bring Back ‘Festival’ Feel to Martial Arts

Yoshihiro Akiyama just wants to have fun.

And fun he shall have on Sunday in Tokyo at ONE 165, where “Sexyama” will collide with Nieky Holzken in a mixed rules contest: Round 1 will consist of boxing, Round 2 follows with muay thai and the final frame will let it all hang out with ONE’s global mixed martial arts ruleset.

Akiyama discussed the hybrid rules, which he described as a festival of martial arts in talking with Count Films exclusively for Sherdog. The Ultimate Fighting Championship explained that the carnival atmosphere should be fun for the fighters and fans alike.