“One of the top fighters” - Kaito Ono admits he’s still peeved that showdown with Marat Grigorian didn’t materialize
27-year-old Japanese kickboxer and former multi-time world champion Kaito Ono is admittedly still disappointed that he was unable to fight Armenian veteran and kickboxing icon Marat Grigorian.
Kaito and Grigorian were scheduled to face off in last March's ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang mega event at the Saitama Super Arena. But after Grigorian failed to pass weight and hydration, Kaito refused to fight the Armenian kickboxing legend at a catchweight.
Thus, the fight was scrapped, and Kaito actually came under fire for not accepting the renegotiated terms.
That being said, Kaito says he's still 'annoyed' by what had happened, and hopes he can rebook that matchup in the future.
The 27-year-old star told the world's largest martial arts organization in a recent interview:
"I'm still a bit annoyed, to be honest. But I've always thought he's genuinely a strong fighter and definitely one of the top fighters in the world, so I was really looking forward to fighting him. When that fight fell through, I was disappointed and received various criticism, but when I first got an offer for May, it was for Grigorian, so I was excited thinking we would finally fight, but that also didn't work out due to timing issues."
Thankfully, fans won't have to wait long to see Kaito Ono in action in ONE Championship.
Kaito Ono faces Iranian star Mohammad Siasarani in ONE debut at ONE Friday Fights 109
Japanese kickboxing superstar Kaito Ono is set to make his ONE Championship debut against Iran's Mohammad Siasarani.
The two throw down in a three-round featherweight kickboxing bout at ONE Friday Fights 109, which will broadcast live in Asia primetime from the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand this Friday, May 23rd.
Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action live and absolutely free via the ONE Super App, ONE Championship's official YouTube channel, and other digital platforms.
Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding Kaito Ono's next fight.