Another top pound-for-pound kickboxing star is coming to ONE Championship.
On Tuesday, April 23, Masaaki Noiri announced he had signed with ONE. The 30-year-old is excited to bring his talents to the organization and compete against more elite strikers.
"I'm truly happy. I've been waiting for this moment, finally! I'm also very excited. I can't wait to step into the ring with only elite fighters and prove my abilities," Noiri told ONE.
Noiri is a two-division K-1 World Champion and K-1 Grand Prix Champion. The 30-year-old has shown his incredible skill over the years, but now comes a new chapter for the Japanese star.
"I believe ONE is the ultimate stage for striking, so I wanted to challenge myself in that ring. I'm pursuing to be the strongest in the world through martial arts, so I chose this path to test if the current Masaaki Noiri can make it in ONE," the 30-year-old said.
However, the pound-for-pound great is not coming just for his shot at glory. Although he is eyeing gold in the future, Noiri also wants to elevate Japan even further alongside Takeru Segawa.
"To definitely win the ONE world title. Not just me, but together with Takeru Segawa. And we'll prove the strength of Japanese fighters to the world," Noiri explained.
Noiri also told ONE that he wants to take on the best strikers in the world. Undoubtedly, he will get that chance, as ONE's roster of strikers is loaded with talent.
After the announcement, Noiri posted a statement on X, stating he has finally arrived.
"As ONE officially announced, I have signed a contract with ONE Championship, the highest stage for striking. If I want to pursue being the strongest in the world that I believe in, this is a stage I had to challenge," Noiri said.
"I've finally arrived here. This marks the start of the final chapter for me as a martial artist, Masaaki Noiri. I'm nothing but excited to be on a stage filled with formidable fighters. Let's see how far I can go. Please look forward to it. I'll be fighting while carrying Japan on my back, so I appreciate your support more than ever!"