“I was waiting for the good moment” - Marat Grigorian says his patience paid off in chilling finish of Abdelali Zahidi

Former ONE featherweight kickboxing world title challenger Marat Grigorian looked as ferocious as ever at ONE Friday Fights 92: Sitthichai vs. Shadow on Dec. 20.

The destroyer from Armenia shut down Abdelali Zahidi's hopes for an upset, brutalizing him in under two rounds inside 'The Mecca of Muay Thai' Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

The punch-heavy Grigorian was his usual aggressive self from the get-go, forcing Zahidi on the retreat in their 159-pound catchweight kickboxing battle. After bullying 'Black Diamond' in the opening frame, Grigorian didn't mess around and put the nail in the coffin in the ensuing frame.

The Hemmers Gym legend backed his helpless prey into the corner and unloaded a violent barrage, finishing the Morrocan with a vicious straight left.

In his ONE Friday Fights 92 post-event interview, Marat Grigorian said he simply bid his time until he found an opening to land his kill shot.

​

"I was waiting in silence, and I was waiting for the good moment, you know. He can do a lot of things, but I'm watching good, you know. So I was focused."

The full replay of ONE Friday Fights 92: Sitthichai vs Shadow is available free on watch.onefc.com and ONE Championship’s YouTube page in selected areas.

What's next for Marat Grigorian?

Marat Grigorian upped his record to 5-3 under the ONE banner with his setbacks coming in title shots against two of the best in the division, Superbon and Chingiz Allazov.

While the 33-year-old might need to string a few more wins to get back in contention, there are still some intriguing match-ups that await him.

For instance, Grigorian could fare in an intriguing match-up with China's Liu Mengyang who is also coming off a big win at ONE Friday Fights 92 against Masaaki Noiri.

​