Malaysian Muay Thai fighter Rifdean Masdor secured an important victory over Japanese opponent Nadaka Yoshinari in a ONE Championship contest, with the judges’ decision going in his favour.
The result marked a significant achievement for Rifdean, who faced one of Japan’s most recognised Muay Thai competitors in a closely contested encounter.
However, the result refers to a fan poll rather than an actual fight victory. According to ONE Championship’s official website, 56% of supporters backed Rifdean to win, compared with 44% who favoured Nadaka.
The two fighters are scheduled to meet on 17 October 2026 at ONE Samurai 4 in Tokyo, where Rifdean will challenge Nadaka for the ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Championship. Nadaka enters the contest with an impressive 41-fight winning streak.
For Rifdean, the upcoming bout represents an opportunity to make Malaysian sporting history. A victory would make the 23-year-old the country’s second ONE Muay Thai world champion, following Aliff Sor Dechapan.
