"Defending the takedown is important" - Kang Ji Won sharpening his Achilles' heel ahead of clash vs. Kirill Grishenko
ONE heavyweight MMA star Kang Ji Won understands the glaring holes in his game that he needs to fix pronto. As his nickname suggests, 'Mighty Warrior' is a terror on the feet, using his explosive fists to score devastating one-punch knockouts.
However, the 28-year-old has been held back by his underwhelming grappling skills in the past, particularly in his submission losses to Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida and Ben Tynan.
At ONE Fight Night 23 on July 6, Kang's ground game will be tested again when he takes on Greco-Roman wrestling specialist Kirill Grishenko at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
There's some genuine concern for Kang since he'll be taking on another strong grappler whose style has proven to be his kryptonite.
However, the South Korean brawler told ONE Championship in an exclusive interview that he's been honing his takedown defense behind closed doors:
"We're trying our best with our holistic approach. Defending the takedown is important, but we're really looking to invest heavily in using the weapons I have to fight Kirill."
In hindsight, Kang Ji Won showed great improvement in his bounce-back TKO win over Mikhal Jamal Abdul-Latif at ONE Fight Night 18 this past January.
The Wang Ho standout showed no fear in grappling exchanges, allowing him to unload his fearsome striking and get the finish.
Kang Ji Won wary of Kirill Grishenko's all-around abilities
While Grishenko is coming off back-to-back losses, Kang Ji Won knows how dangerous the former interim heavyweight MMA world title challenger can be.
'Mighty Warrior' is particularly wary of the Belarusian's well-rounded arsenal. He told ONE:
"He is a great wrestler, is a tall fighter, and has great cardio. In all objectivity, he's a fighter that has no immediate weaknesses. He is a powerful fighter."
ONE Fight Night 23 will air live in US primetime free of charge for those with an active Prime Video subscription in the United States and Canada.