“He looked for opportunities” - Buakaw praises Masaaki Noiri for finding a way to get past Tawanchai’s devilish kicks

Muay Thai demigod Buakaw Banchamek has high praise for Japanese kickboxing star and ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world champion Masaaki Noiri.

Noiri shocked the world earlier this year, when he defeated highly regarded Thai fighter and reigning ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai to capture the interim kickboxing gold.

The two locked horns at the recently concluded ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang event at Saitama Super Arena.

Speaking on his official YouTube channel, Buakaw shared his thoughts on Noiri's performance against Tawanchai.

The legendary fighter said:

"Noiri stayed close despite being on the end of Tawanchai’s kicks. It was a good tactic. He left no space, although he was in danger. A pretty solid tactic to be honest. He stayed in range, he looked for opportunities. He kept his guard up while chipping in with low kicks."

ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang was broadcast live from the historic Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan last March 23rd.

Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action via replay on-demand on watch.onefc.com.

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Masaaki Noiri says his popularity exploded after beating Tawanchai in ONE: "My fanbase has grown"

Masaaki Noiri believes he's been able to gain more fans after his victory over Tawanchai PK Saenchai at ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang.

He told My Navi News in a recent interview:

"I’ve always had many fans and supporters. But since competing in ONE Championship, I think my fanbase has grown. I’ve had a lot of reaction from overseas fans and they have been incredible. After this match, I think I had 20,000 followers all at once. Every time I open my Instagram, my followers kept increasing and increasing. Most of them are foreigners."

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