Rukiya Anpo aims to be the best striker in ‘number one’ organization ONE Championship

ONE Championship newcomer and former K-1 champion ‘Demolition Man’ Rukiya Anpo of Japan will be stepping onto the most prestigious stage of his professional career when he climbs into the Circle of the world’s largest martial arts organization at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri.

There, he will face former featherweight kickboxing world title challenger Marat Grigorian of Armenia in a highly anticipated three-round showdown. But looking beyond the initial challenge of his esteemed opponent, Anpo says he is happy to join ONE.

Even if his sole reason for joining the promotion was to exact vengeance on interim featherweight kickboxing king Masaaki Noiri, the last man to beat him, ‘Demolition Man’ says he’s excited to mix it up with the world’s best.

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He told Sportskeeda MMA in an exclusive interview:

“First of all, the reason why I joined ONE Championship, other than [getting] revenge against Masaaki Noiri, is that I recognized that ONE is the number one kickboxing and striking organization in the world. I’ve been doing striking since I was young, and I wanted to be number one in that kind of organization.”

Anpo locks horns with Grigorian at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri, which will broadcast live from the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday, November 16.

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.

What does ‘Demolition Man’ Rukiya Anpo like about competing in ONE Championship?

‘Demolition Man’ Rukiya Anpo can’t wait to suit up on the global stage for ONE Championship when he makes his debut at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri at home in Tokyo, Japan, on November 16.

The 29-year-old can’t help but compare the promotions he’s been with, and says ONE tops them all.

He told media:

"No catching, it's in a cage instead of a ring. I touched the gloves earlier and thought they felt bigger than I expected. There are some differences. In RIZIN, I fought Buakaw and Usami under kickboxing rules. Buakaw is extremely strong and proven in kickboxing, but in RIZIN he wasn't competing at such a high level. ONE has much higher-level fighters in kickboxing, so I'm really excited to test myself here."

Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding Rukiya Anpo’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