After an 11-month enforced hiatus, kickboxing elite Marat Grigorian made his emphatic return to the ONE Championship ring in Tokyo, securing a dominant victory over former K-1 champion Rukiya Anpo. This return was less about a single win and more about settling a score, both with the past and with the capricious nature of professional weight cutting.
The Irony of the Scales
The journey back to the Japanese canvas was fraught with psychological hurdles for Grigorian. His last scheduled bout in Tokyo was canceled due to a weight miss—a marginal 300 grams (0.66 lbs) infraction that Kaito Ono refused to overlook. This failure haunted Grigorian, prompting a solemn vow to ensure his adherence to the professional mandate.
The subsequent contest against Rukiya Anpo, however, presented a unique and profound piece of kickboxing irony. While Grigorian arrived precisely on weight, his opponent, the Japanese superstar Anpo, missed the mark by a staggering 3 kilograms (6.6 lbs). Anpo, therefore, entered the ring significantly heavier and theoretically stronger. Grigorian’s response to this blatant violation was not bitterness, but a professional shrug.
“As a professional fighter, I felt terrible about what happened last time,” Grigorian noted. “I promised to make it right. And I was on weight. Then, Anpo did not make weight. But I didn`t care. I needed to show the real fighting spirit.”
Tactical Overload: Shaking Off the Rust
The fight itself began uncharacteristically slow for the usually aggressive Grigorian. The 11-month layoff was evident in the first round, which Anpo successfully controlled with range and output. The need for tactical adjustment was immediate. Grigorian acknowledged that he sometimes requires a “push from his coach,” and that push manifested in a decisive shift in approach for the second and third rounds.
Grigorian implemented his trademark high-pressure offense. Despite the significant weight disparity favoring Anpo—who was effectively fighting a class above—Grigorian demonstrated superior power and durability. He neutralized the reach advantage by closing the distance and targeting both the head and the body with heavy combinations. The technical evaluation confirmed his claim: even against a heavier opponent, Grigorian`s power was the undeniable differentiator, turning the tide from a competitive start into a clear-cut victory.
Champion’s Ambition: The Title is the Target
With the win secured and the specter of past controversies erased by his dominance, Grigorian immediately pivoted to his primary objective: the ONE Championship title belt. The featherweight division is currently ruled by the formidable Superbon, a matchup that fans and analysts have long anticipated.
When questioned about a potential title fight against Superbon, perhaps in the promotional stronghold of Thailand, Grigorian offered a definitive counter-proposal that speaks volumes about his desire to prove his worth on the biggest stages outside of familiar territory.
“No, I don’t want to fight him in Thailand!” Grigorian stated firmly. “I want to fight him in Japan!”
This declaration is strategically and emotionally charged. Fighting Superbon in Thailand is a known quantity; challenging him in Tokyo, where Grigorian has now twice been the central character in a major kickboxing narrative, elevates the stakes considerably. It is a request to face the champion where the spotlight—and the scrutiny—is highest, promising a dramatic showdown potentially as early as next spring.
Conclusion: The Spirit of the Professional
Marat Grigorian`s return to Tokyo was a clinical display of professional resilience. He navigated an unexpectedly long layoff and a severe, yet unaddressed, weight class discrepancy from his opponent. By overcoming both, he sent a clear message to the ONE Championship roster: the “real fighting spirit” he demonstrated in Japan is now being channeled directly toward the championship throne. The quest for the belt is official, and Grigorian prefers the battleground to be the place of his latest triumph and ultimate redemption: Tokyo.
Murray Blackwood