Marat Grigorian says Rukiya Anpo’s disrespect has made him "twice as dangerous"

Marat Grigorian does not need much to get going for his fights. But against Rukiya Anpo, the veteran Armenian fighter said he is extra motivated for all the disrespect the Japanese star has dished out towards him.

The 38-year-old Hemmers Gym standout battles 'Demolition Man' in a featherweight kickboxing joust at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri on Nov. 16 at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

In the lead-up to their showdown, Anpo, who is making his ONE Championship debut, has been talking a lot of smack against Grigorian, including how he intends to "destroy" the three-time kickboxing world champion on fight night.

Marat Grigorian said all the talk his opponent has been doing has motivated him more to win at ONE 173, making him doubly dangerous.

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He shared this in an interview with Sportskeeda MMA, saying:

"Of course. It gave me extra motivation — I’m coming sharper than ever. Imagine, you know, how aggressive I already am? But after he disrespected me like that, my aggression is two times more than my usual. So, I think I will be twice as dangerous."

Grigorian was last in action in December, where he stopped Moroccan Abdelali Zahidi by knockout in the second round.

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Marat Grigorian says defeating local star Rukiya Anpo is going to be exciting

Apart from shutting up Rukiya Anpo with an emphatic win at ONE 173, Marat Grigorian said the opportunity to defeat a local Japanese star makes everything even more exciting.

He made this known in an interview with Sportskeeda MMA, saying:

“Japan brings the energy. I love fighting in Japan. The crowd is special. I’m ready to put on a show, a real fight. This makes me more fired up because I have a chance to upset the local star. So I cannot wait.”

Marat Grigorian is no longer a stranger competing in Japan, having graced K-1 a decade ago.

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