An eight-man bracket with one assured reward is opening with a fighter making an attempt to erase his most painful defeat.
Masaaki Noiri opens the ONE SAMURAI Featherweight Kickboxing Match in opposition to “Spirit Dragon” Liu Mengyang in a quarterfinal rematch at ONE SAMURAI 2, streaming dwell from Tokyo’s EBARA WAVE Enviornment Ota on Saturday, August 8. The winner of your complete eight-man bracket is assured a shot at reigning ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Superbon.
Their first assembly in December 2024 went to Liu by unanimous resolution. The consequence marked the primary time in Noiri’s profession he had suffered consecutive ONE Championship losses. The 33-year-old has not fought Liu since. This event format provides him no path to Superbon that doesn’t run via his previous rival first.
Liu has been removed from stagnant since that win. He has reeled off three straight victories, together with a end of Tawanchai PK Saenchai. He was in line for a Superbon title shot of his personal earlier than harm pressured the champion to withdraw.
Masaaki Noiri chases Superbon rematch dream
Past Liu, your complete bracket factors towards one vacation spot for Noiri. Ought to he advance, he faces the winner of Kaito and Mohammad Siasarani’s personal quarterfinal rematch, whereas Marat Grigorian, a longtime dream opponent, sits on the alternative aspect of the draw and will solely meet Noiri within the closing.
Each route finally circles again to Superbon, who denied Noiri undisputed gold in a five-round unification bout at ONE 173 this previous November. A visit via Liu, and doubtlessly the remainder of the bracket, is now the one avenue again to that rematch and the belt Noiri has chased since first signing with ONE Championship.
Noiri has stated his preparation for this rematch accounts for each variations of Liu he would possibly see, the aggressive stress fighter who stunned him of their first assembly and the longer-range striker he initially anticipated. That twin strategy displays simply how a lot is driving on a single quarterfinal bout.
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