"It gave me a lot of confidence" - Kirill Grishenko reveals competing in grappling and boxing during MMA hiatus
Former ONE heavyweight world title challenger Kirill Grishenko recently revealed why he took a break from MMA ahead of his comeback fight at ONE Fight Night 23.
Two years ago, Grishenko experienced a huge wake-up call after suffering back-to-back losses to reigning three sport world champion Anatoly Malykhin, and BJJ superstar Marcus Almeida by way of stoppages.
The bad losses were a far cry from the strong start he had the year before, capturing two straight victories over Senegalese warrior 'Reug Reug' Oumar Kane and Canada's Dustin Joynson.
Realizing that he some changes to make, Grishenko took some time off to regroup and refocus on the areas that needed improvement, however radical it may have seemed.
Ahead of his comeback fight against Kang Ji Won at ONE Fight Night 23, Kirll Grishenko revealed exactly what led to his two-year hiatus and why he feels ready to take on the MMA world once again.
"My coaching staff and I decided to get a taste of a competitive atmosphere by participating in amateur sports. I competed in grappling, Greco-Roman wrestling, and boxing.
Grishenko continued to add:
"We did this to prove to ourselves once again that I can compete on the striking front with any opponent. It gave me a lot of confidence, which is exactly what I need before my upcoming fight."
ONE Fight Night 23 is available free to watch from inside the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Thailand via Amazon Prime Video.
"Do it now or you will regret it later" - Kirill Grishenko elevates hard work above all else as he resumes MMA career in ONE
Kirill Grishenko believes he made the right choice in taking a break from MMA.
A lot of sacrifice has gone into being one of the top ranked heavyweights in the world, so Grishenko wasn't prepared to put his hard work into jeopardy by not making the necessary changes.
He hopes that his tough journey back to contention sets the right example for his fans and to those who need the right type of motivation to pursue their dreams.
On Instagram, he shared the following message:
"There is no perfect time for anything, do it now or you will regret it later #hardwork #onedream #bestlife #lifestyle