ONE SAMURAI 4 Featherweight Kickboxing Tournament Results: Noiri, Grigorian Advance To The Final In Tokyo
The ONE SAMURAI Featherweight Kickboxing Tournament semifinals produced two contrasting stories at ONE SAMURAI 4 on Saturday, October 17, at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.
On one side of the bracket, a former ONE Interim World Champion from Japan delivered a composed, experienced performance to outgrind a dangerous Iranian and book his place in the final. On the other, a three-time Glory World Champion advanced without entering the ring after his Chinese opponent was disqualified for missing weight.
Here’s what unfolded in the last four, where the eventual tournament winner will face ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Superbon.
Noiri Advances After Composed Decision Over Siasarani
Masaaki Noiri moved one step closer to a World Title shot, outpointing Mohammad Siasarani by split decision to advance to the ONE SAMURAI Featherweight Kickboxing Tournament final against Marat Grigorian.
The 33-year-old Team Vasileus product opened with calf kicks to slow down the Iranian’s rhythm. The Venum Training Camp and Team Mehdi Zatout representative, meanwhile, attacked with uppercuts, trying to pop his rival’s head up and catch him with a follow-up hook, but Noiri, a former ONE Interim Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion, kept his guard tight and blasted back with kicks.
Experience began to show in the second. Noiri tucked his chin and stepped into the fray, pummeling Siasarani with calf kicks and left hooks. The grizzled 24-year-old stood his ground and fired back, launching a four-piece combination that rattled the Japanese fighter and kept the round competitive.
Both men came out fighting for a place in the final in the third round, but Siasarani’s excessive clinching earned him two yellow cards from the referee. The penalties put fire under both fighters, and they went at each other on the inside, belting each other with punches until the final bell.
Two of the three ringside judges scored it 29-28 for Noiri, while one judge had it 29-28 for Siasarani. The decision sends Noiri to the tournament final, where a victory against Grigorian would set up a rematch with the man who last beat him.
Grigorian Gets Fast-Tracked After Luo Misses Weight
Marat Grigorian advanced to the final without having to break a sweat after his scheduled dance partner in the last four, “The Handsome White Dragon” Luo Chao, missed weight at the official weigh-ins on October 16.
As a result, the Chinese star was disqualified from competing in his semifinal fixture against the Armenian knockout machine.
Grigorian did take to the Circle shortly after Noiri’s triumph, though, to share a moment with the former two-division K-1 Champion, offering a tantalizing glimpse of what is to come.
