“The pressure that I bring is a little bit different” - Marat Grigorian says he’ll force Kaito Ono into a firefight at ONE 172

Marat Grigorian revealed minor details of his game plan for ONE 172.

On March 23, ONE Championship will showcase arguably their most stacked event of the calendar year, including five world title fights.

The upcoming spectacle will be headlined by a non-title flyweight kickboxing bout between Japanese legend Takeru Segawa and Thai superstar Rodtang.

Earlier in the night, former 3x Glory Kickboxing world champion Marat Grigorian returns for a featherweight kickboxing bout against Japan's Kaito Ono.

During an appearance on Masato Kobayashi’s YouTube channel, Grigorian had this to say bout fighting Ono:

"Every time, the pressure that I bring is a little bit different depending on the fighters. In the beginning, we will feel each other, so in the second round and third round, we can see what will happen."

In April 2024, Marat Grigorian had an opportunity to capture the ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world title. He ultimately lost against Superbon by unanimous decision.

Grigorian has since fought once, defeating Abdelali Zahidi by second-round knockout in December 2024.

Watch Grigorian's entire appearance on Masato Kobayashi's YouTube channel below:

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Kaito Ono looks to become top featherweight kickboxing contender with Marat Grigorian win

Kaito Ono will make his ONE Championship debut at ONE 172. The 27-year-old is expected to have plenty of support in his home country of Japan.

Ono has previously made a name for himself by capturing titles in SHOOT BOXING, REBELS, KNOCK OUT, and RISE.

The TEAM F.O.D. has a massive opportunity to become a top contender in the ONE featherweight division by taking out the well-respected Marat Grigorian.

Meanwhile, Grigorian's world-class resume and elite striking skills puts him right back into the division's title picture with a win against Ono.

In the ONE 172 co-main event, featherweight Muay Thai world champion Tawanchai and Japan's Masaaki Noiri will battle for the ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world title.

The winner between Tawanchai and Noiri will face Superbon later this year for undisputed gold. Tawanchai holds two Muay Thai wins against Superbon in ONE.

Earlier this year, Superbon was upgraded to the undisputed featherweight kickboxing world champion due to Chingiz Allazov remaining inactive.