‘I Don’t Go For Points’ – Marat Grigorian Vows To Bring The Heat In Kickboxing Clash With Kaito Ono
Decorated Armenian slugger Marat Grigorian says fans can expect nothing less than all-out war when he collides with debuting Japanese sensation Kaito Ono in a pivotal featherweight kickboxing clash at ONE 172: Rodtang vs. Takeru this Sunday, March 23.
That pay-per-view bout will take place at Japan’s Saitama Super Arena on one of the biggest fight cards that ONE Championship has ever produced.
A former three-time Glory Kickboxing World Champion and now a multiple-time ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Title challenger, Grigorian is one of the division’s most accomplished and experienced athletes, loved by fans worldwide for his show-stopping power and relentless aggression.
On paper, he’ll be the favorite over the Kaito. Still, the promotional newcomer is no stranger to high-level competition, having beaten multiple ONE stars while largely dominating the ultra-tough Japanese kickboxing circuit.
Although Grigorian boasts a more extensive resume than his opponent, he is expecting a difficult test at ONE 172 – and a barnburner for as long as it lasts. He told onefc.com:
“I enter every fight thinking or believing it will be the hardest fight. Whether that happens, it’s hard to tell. But, at least when I go into my fights like this, I’m prepared for the worst scenario.
“Kaito may surprise me. But with this mindset, I think it will be me who surprises him. I never take anyone lightly, and that is the same respect I bring into this fight against Kaito.
“I expect a war. I expect a knockout. I see an interesting fight taking place. It will steal the show.”
Grigorian readily admits that his foe brings world-class striking skills and blazing speed to the table.
At the same time, he firmly believes that his own 18-year professional kickboxing career – spent primarily facing elite competition – will make the difference on fight night:
“Kaito is a complete fighter. He’s really fast. He has really good speed. He has good skills. But I don’t think he’s had that many good opponents in his career. I think I’ll be on a different level than him.
“I think he’s rarely fought the people that I’ve fought. I’ve always fought the best, the toughest guys in the world. He did fight some top guys, but he lost to them. He belongs at the top, but he’s not so good as someone who wants to take the next step to the World Title.”
Indeed, Grigorian has shared the ring with some of the planet’s pound-for-pound best, including a trio of battles with current ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Superbon.
No matter how his battle with Kaito plays out, the 33-year-old promises to bring the same trademark aggression and finishing skills that have made him a global superstar and true kickboxing icon:
“Whenever I fight, I always come to produce a fight. A real fight. I don’t want to waste fans’ time, and I don’t come there to waste my time or my opponent’s time, either. I don’t go for points. I always have one thing in my mind – to knock the guy standing in front of me out. That’s it.”
Gigorian Reinvigorated By Chance To Fight At Saitama Super Arena
Marat Grigorian has competed on some of the most significant fight cards in history, both inside and outside of ONE. He recognizes, though, that ONE 172 is a special kind of blockbuster event that only comes along once or twice in a lifetime.
A big part of what makes the event so epic, he said, is that it’s taking place in the massive and historic Saitama Super Arena:
“The arena is very big. I’m very excited [by] the chance to fight in the venue. It’s been a long time since I fought in big arenas, and this is a special chance for me to fight with how [significant] the arena is.
“It’s truly an honor to fight back in Japan against a fighter like Kaito. This one is a really important fight for me because, yeah, everything seems to be special about [this card].”
Headlined by a monumental kickboxing super-fight and also featuring five World Title showdowns, ONE 172 has all the makings of an instant classic.
Grigorian said the card harkens back to the days when kickboxing events would regularly draw thousands upon thousands of fans to the biggest arenas in Japan – which is exactly what will happen at Saitama Super Arena.
With that in mind, he’ll be bringing an extra bit of motivation and “fire” into his showdown with Kaito:
“I just want to produce a high-level kickboxing fight in Japan. I want to give the fans a fight that reminds them of the golden days of K-1 kickboxing in Japan. Everyone is excited that I will bring some fire in this fight, and I also hope [Kaito] comes with that mindset.”
