One Championship: Rukiya Anpo says Marat Grigorian is just ‘my stepping stone’ to old foe
Japanese kickboxer says his ‘mission’ is rematch with a compatriot, is willing to fight Tawanchai to decide who gets to have revenge first
Rukiya Anpo has made his intentions crystal clear ahead of his ONE Championship debut: the Japanese kickboxing ace said Marat Grigorian was only the first obstacle in his path to compatriot Masaaki Noiri.
“Marat is my stepping stone to the belt,” Anpo told the Post after the ONE 173 press conference in Tokyo. “When I met him backstage, I told him exactly why I came to ONE: to get revenge against Noiri. That’s my mission here.”
Noiri, the interim featherweight kickboxing world champion, beat Anpo by TKO in their only meeting, the K-1 welterweight grand prix final in 2021.
The 29-year-old Anpo shrugged off Grigorian’s pre-fight insult after the Armenian called him a “big clown” on stage.
“I don’t know why Marat thinks that way,” Anpo said. “But honestly, I also think I’m a bit of a foolish guy sometimes. It doesn’t matter. This fight is not about words. I have a game plan, and I will dominate the fight. Marat will not be able to do what he is planning to do.”
Anpo said he was at the peak of his powers going into this bout, which will take place on November 16 in Japan.