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Don't get it wrong - Masaaki Noiri isn't looking past his upcoming title fight, but he can't help but keep an eye on the bigger picture. With Kaito Ono set to make his promotional debut against Marat Grigorian in the same division, comparisons between the two Japanese strikers are inevitable.
"Since it's in the same division, Kaito's fight against Grigorian will definitely be compared to mine in terms of performance and fight quality," Noiri said. "We're all part of the Japanese team, but at the end of the day, I still see everyone as a rival."
It's not that Noiri doesn't support his countrymen - he absolutely does. But he's also been in the game long enough to know that even if you take different paths to the top, you're bound to run across each other along the way. With both men competing in the same division at the highest level of kickboxing, a future showdown isn't out of the question.
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"Japanese fighters must win" - Masaaki Noiri proud to banner ONE 172 megaevent alongside Takeru in Japan
ONE 172 is shaping up to be a historic event for Japan, with nearly half of the featured fighters being Japanese. For Masaaki Noiri, and perhaps the rest of the Japanese crew, fighting in Japan brings a different kind of pressure.
"I'm truly excited to face my toughest opponent yet on the incredible stage of ONE's Japan event," Noiri said. "As this is a Japan event, I believe all of us Japanese fighters must win."
With compatriot Takeru Segawa headlining the ONE 172 card with Rodtang, Noiri feels an added responsibility to set the tone for the night's main event.
"Particularly, Takeru and I absolutely must secure victories. I want to win impressively before Takeru's fight and pass the baton to him on a high note. Please look forward to it."
Masaaki Noiri is slated to go up against Tawanchai as one of five world title fights on the stacked ONE 172 card. ONE 172: Takeru vs Rodtang takes place in the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, on March 23. Tickets are available here, or catch the action via PPV on watch.onefc.com.
