Ryujin Nasukawa is done living inside legendary brother’s shadow: ‘I am the one who will lead the next era’

For two decades, one family name has defined an era of Japanese kickboxing. Now, the younger son wants to build something that belongs only to him.

Ryujin Nasukawa makes his ONE Championship debut against Thongpoon PK Saenchai in a strawweight kickboxing bout at The Inner Circle 23 on Friday, July 24. The card streams live from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium through The Inner Circle.

His older brother, Tenshin, retired from kickboxing with a flawless 42-0 record, a mark few fighters have ever approached. That shadow grew heavier still this past April, when Nasukawa watched countryman Takeru Segawa bow out at ONE SAMURAI 1.

Segawa closed his career with a fifth-round TKO of Rodtang Jitmuangnon to claim the ONE Interim Flyweight Kickboxing World Title, a run that will see him inducted into the ONE Hall of Fame at ONE SAMURAI 4 in October. For Nasukawa, it marked the end of an era he now believes is his to inherit.

“I was glad to see Takeru finally get rewarded for everything he has done,” Nasukawa said. “Tenshin and Takeru were the two leading figures who carried an era of kickboxing.”

“I was genuinely happy to see Takeru receive that moment.”

Ryujin Nasukawa plans to seize his moment

Ryujin Nasukawa insists the next chapter of kickboxing belongs to him, not to the men who came before him. Rather than carrying forward what his brother and Segawa built, the Chiba native wants a path defined entirely by his own identity.

Nasukawa is a two-division RISE Champion who brings an 18-3 record into his ONE debut, and he is eager to answer a defeat this past June that snapped a 14-bout winning streak. Rather than dwell on the setback, he sees Friday’s fight as the ideal stage to start again.

“The era of kickboxing built by Tenshin and Takeru has come to an end, and I believe I am the one who will lead the next era,” Nasukawa said. “I feel that it is my responsibility, so rather than saying I think I can do it, I will do it.”

“Unlike Tenshin, I think my style is more about taking the initiative and moving forward.”