"I was thrilled" - Kirill Grishenko excited to test his improved striking against KO artist Kang Ji Won

Former ONE interim heavyweight world title challenger Kirill Grishenko may be a well-known face to ONE Championship fans at this stage. The heavyweight contender has been in the mix ever since his arrival in the promotion back in April of 2021.

What can be easy to forget about him is that despite having four fights inside the circle and facing some of the top names in the division, Grishenko is still relatively new to MMA.

He started his training in the sport back in 2020 with a high-level background in wrestling. As a result, his striking skills are always improving over time.

This is something that he is excited to test in his next fight as he returns at ONE Fight Night 23 to take on heavyweight knockout artist Kang Ji Won.

Grishenko told ONE Championship in a recent interview that he has all the motivation he needs for this long-awaited return:

"When I was offered the fight with Kang, I was thrilled. He's a tough guy with excellent striking skills."

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Standing with Kang Ji Won is a dangerous game for Kirill Grishenko

Having been finished in his last two fights inside the circle, Kirill Grishenko needs to be wary of the power that is coming at him on July 5.

Many will be seeing this clash inside Lumpinee Stadium as a classic striker vs. grappler matchup based on the fact that both men have opposing skill sets.

Kang Ji Won is incredibly dangerous while the fight stays standing but has been taken down and out grappled in the past. This would appear to be the clearest gameplan for Grishenko unless he wishes to test his striking in a high-stakes game of inches.

ONE Fight Night 23 will air live in US primetime and is free to watch for North American viewers with an active Prime Video subscription.