“He can’t escape now” - Rukiya Anpo warns Masaaki Noiri he’s coming for all the smoke now that he’s joined ONE

Rukiya Anpo is eyeing a rematch with fellow Japanese kickboxing star Masaaki Noiri now in ONE Championship. He admits it is one of the reasons why he decided to come on board the world's biggest martial arts organization.

The two fighters met in September 2021 for the K-1 welterweight title, with Noiri winning the match by TKO (three knockdowns). It was a defeat that Anpo still feels the sting of and wants to redeem himself from.

In an interview with ONE Championship, which was posted on Instagram, Anpo laid down his motivation for joining the 'Home of Martial Arts' and where Noiri falls in it.

'Demolition Man' said:

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"For the sake of my revenge, I joined ONE Championship. [Noiri] can't escape now. I want to face him soon."

Noiri joined ONE Championship last year and has turned his campaign around, winning back-to-back matches after losing his first two. His most recent win in March was huge as he was able to claim the interim featherweight kickboxing world title with a three-round TKO (referee stoppage) of Thai superstar and featherweight Muay Thai king Tawanchai PK Saenchai.

Rukiya Anpo, for his part, has since bounced back from his defeat, winning his last four matches before signing with ONE Championship.

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Rukiya Anpo focused first on his ONE debut this weekend

While a rematch with Masaaki Noiri is something he is looking forward to, Rukiya Anpo is focusing first on his ONE Championship debut this weekend in Japan.

The 30-year-old Himeji native will be welcomed by veteran Armenian fighter Marat Grigorian in the promotion in a featured featherweight kickboxing match at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri on Nov. 16 at Tokyo's Ariake Arena.

It is part of the stacked 17-fight offering, which is headlined by the unification match for the ONE featherweight kickboxing world title between reigning divisional king Superbon and interim champion Noiri.

Rukiya Anpo shared his mindset heading into ONE 173 in an interview with Sportskeeda MMA, saying:

"For now, I don't have anything on my mind ... Because I want to achieve my goal for now."

Tickets for ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri are available via ePlus in Japan. The event is also live on pay-per-view exclusively at Live.ONEFC.com.

For more information on the marquee live on-ground show, follow Sportskeeda MMA and ONE Championship.

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Edited by Aziel Karthak