“He’s good, strong, and a former champ” - Marat Grigorian looking forward to welcoming Rukiya Anpo to ONE Championship

Former ONE featherweight kickboxing world title challenger Marat Grigorian of Armenia can’t wait to make his return to the Circle for his next fight. The ex-champ gets to welcome a high-profile newcomer to the world’s largest martial arts organization.

Grigorian is set to face Japanese martial arts sensation ‘Demolition Man’ Rukiya Anpo in a three-round featherweight kickboxing showdown at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri. The card will broadcast live from the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan on Sunday, November 16.

Speaking to ONE Championship in a recent interview, Grigorian said he was honored to welcome Anpo to the global stage, even though there was a little bit of tension between them.

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The 34-year-old Hemmers Gym veteran said:

“He’s good, strong, and a former champ. I will welcome him to ONE. I was also a former K-1 Champion like him.”

Grigorian is coming off a victory over Abdelali Zahidi at ONE Friday Fights 92 last December, and has split his last six bouts. A win over Anpo could catapult the Armenian icon back into the world title conversation.

Fans in the United States and Canada can visit ONE Championship’s official website for more information on how to watch ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri live.

Marat Grigorian can’t wait to unleash world of pain on Rukiya Anpo: “I will hurt him in every way”

Marat Grigorian and ‘Demolition Man’ Rukiya Anpo exchanged fiery words at the ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri press conference in Tokyo last month, setting the stage for what should be an epic three-round featherweight kickboxing showdown at Ariake Arena.

For Grigorian, it’s a chance to take out a big, recognizable name to further strengthen his claim for another shot at ONE Championship gold.

He told the media:

“I’m glad that this fight [is happening] in Japan because I have a lot of friends, a lot of support in Japan. So I need to make it something right here. And I will make it with Anpo. I will hurt him in every way. He [will] remember me. I will break him physically and mentally.”

Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding Marat Grigorian’s next fight.

About the author

Dan is an MMA writer with 10+ years of overall experience. Before his ongoing tenure at Sportskeeda, Dan got the opportunity to be at the forefront of the sport by contributing to ONE Championship and Fight Game Asia. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology.

Dan’s connection to MMA started during the early days of the UFC and ONE Championship. He previously practiced boxing and ranks Demetrious Johnson, Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, Jon Jones, and Fedor Emelianenko as the top five MMA fighters of all time.

He has covered several events onsite and on the ground for ONE Championship and hopes to continue doing so. He ensures that he churns out accurate articles by citing only legitimate sources and getting firsthand accounts through exclusive interviews whenever required.

Dan feels MMA fighter pay seems like an issue because it often gets compared to what fighters earn in boxing but that MMA will eventually catch up in the future.

His other interests include soccer and video games.

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Edited by Saiyed Adeem Karim