ONE Fight Night 39: Bokang Masunyane drops back to strawweight for Japanese contender test

Bokang Masunyane faces Ryohei Kurosawa in strawweight MMA at ONE Fight Night 39 on Friday, January 24, inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

The #3-ranked contender spent his last appearance testing himself at flyweight. That experiment against Sanzhar Zakirov revealed improved ground skills but ended with a decision loss after three hard rounds. Now Masunyane drops back down where his blinding speed and explosive athleticism have always played best.

His 4-2 strawweight run includes a 37-second head kick knockout of former title challenger Rene Catalan that announced his arrival as a legitimate threat. That finishing ability separated him from the division’s grinders and put him on the map.

Kurosawa represents the kind of challenge that either confirms rankings or destroys them. The 32-year-old Japanese veteran carries a 20-4 record and once ruled as Pancrase Strawweight Champion before ONE came calling.

Ryohei Kurosawa earned his spot through ONE Friday Fights dominance

The Japanese contender arrived at ONE Friday Fights riding a five-fight winning streak with four finishes inside two rounds. His September debut against Jayson Miralpez showed exactly why the matchmakers took notice.

Kurosawa dominated across three rounds using crisp striking paired with sharp submission instincts to earn a unanimous decision. The Filipino standout couldn’t solve the puzzle. And now Masunyane gets the same test with championship implications hanging overhead.

Joshua Pacio holds the strawweight throne. But this fight could determine who’s next in line or whether Kurosawa crashes the rankings conversation entirely. The winner moves forward with momentum. The loser slides backward in a stacked division that doesn’t forgive many mistakes.

Masunyane needs this win to erase the flyweight stumble and prove he belongs at the top of 125 pounds. Kurosawa needs it to show his Japanese success translates against elite global competition.