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Second-ranked ONE Championship featherweight kickboxing contender and former ONE world title challenger Marat Grigorian is elated with his performance at ONE 165 last weekend in Tokyo, Japan, where he took home a thrilling knockout victory over a Thai legend, as well as a $50,000 bonus.
However, it was Grigorian’s win over no.3-ranked ‘The Killer Kid’ Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong, that really mattered to the 32-year-old Armenian superstar.
Speaking to the media during the official ONE 165: Superlek vs. Takeru post-fight interviews, Grigorian talked about how much this latest win over Sitthichai means to him.
Grigorian said:
“I won a big bonus, but the important thing is that I won the fight. For me, that’s everything. Money comes and goes, but legacy…legacy stays forever.”
Grigorian and Sitthichai have met five other times before. This was their sixth fight. Heading into the contest, Sitthichai owned a significant 4-1 record in their series. This meant that this perhaps final meeting between the two was more important to Grigorian than it was for ‘The Killer Kid.’
The Armenian banger didn’t let the opportunity go to waste, as he put forth a spectacular performance, winning via knockout in the third and final round. Talk about epic.
What’s next for Marat Grigorian?
As the no.2-ranked featherweight kickboxing contender in ONE Championship, Marat Grigorian is always close to another shot at the coveted gold. However, the reigning featherweight kickboxing king, Chingiz Allazov, already beat Grigorian before, and fairly recently.
So a showdown with former featherweight top dog Superbon Singha Mawynn could be in the cards for the 32-year-old. Another option is a threat coming from down the ladder, as Muay Thai king Tawanchai PK Saenchai, the no.4-ranked featherweight kickboxer, could make a move for the top of the stack.
Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the news and updates surrounding Marat Grigorian’s next fight.
