"We needed to analyze our mistakes" - Kirill Grishenko says long break allowed him to fix holes in his game
ONE Fight Night 23: Ok vs Rasulov on Prime Video could be a make-or-break moment for Kirill Grishenko.
The former interim heavyweight world title challenger last competed in mixed martial arts in 2022. Now, he is ready to resume his promising career against Kang Ji Won on July 5, inside the fabled halls of Bangkok's Lumpinee Stadium.
Emerging victorious in his first five MMA matches, Grishenko came out guns swinging in ONE with back-to-back wins over 'Reug Reug' Oumar Kane and Dustin Joynson.
However, the Belarusian powerhouse stumbled in his world title opportunity against Anatoly Malykhin, followed by another setback to Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida.
After licking his battle wounds, Grishenko returned to the lab and quietly worked on patching the holes in his armor. He revealed in an exclusive interview with ONE Championship:
"After [the loss] to Marcus Almeida, I had a minor leg injury but we healed up and got back to work. We needed to analyze my mistakes and add some new elements to my style."
Coming from a decorated Greco-Roman wrestling background, grappling was never an issue with Kirill Grishenko.
However, it's clear he needed to fortify his shortcomings in the striking department, which has been exploited by his opponents in the past.
We'll soon see if he has made strides in that regard at ONE Fight Night 23. Prime Video subscribers in North America can witness the full event for free, as it happens live in US Primetime.
Kirill Grishenko says he'll show what his hard work against Kang Ji Won
Kang Ji Won's nuclear fists are enough to strike fear in his opponents' hearts.
Then again, Kirill Grishenko is actually quite thrilled to get paired up with a striker, since it's an opportunity to showcase his improved boxing skills.
The 32-year-old told ONE:
"When I was offered the fight with Kang, I was thrilled. He's a tough guy with excellent striking skills."