Masaaki Noiri To Debut Against Sitthichai At ONE 167 On June 7
Two-division K-1 World Champion Masaaki Noiri isn’t wasting any time on the sidelines.
Less than two weeks after signing with ONE Championship, the Japanese superstar has booked his first promotional appearance and looks ready to begin his attack on the featherweight kickboxing division.
Noiri will make his highly anticipated debut against #3-ranked contender Sitthichai “Killer Kid” Sitsongpeenong at ONE 167: Stamp vs. Zamboanga on Prime Video, which broadcasts live in U.S. primetime on June 7 from the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.
Noiri made a name for himself on the Japanese kickboxing scene, where he racked up a 49-11 record with a lethal 51 percent finishing rate.
The 30-year-old has been particularly dominant recently, knocking out former K-1 Super Lightweight Champion Rukiya Anpo, former K-1 Middleweight Champion Hasan Troy, Superkombat Middleweight Champion Amansio Paraschiv, and Krush Welterweight Champions Kona Kato and Ayinta Ali.
In addition to capturing the K-1 Super Lightweight and Welterweight Titles, the Japanese striker also claimed the Krush Welterweight Title and the WBC Muay Thai Japan Super Lightweight Championship.
Now, Noiri joins the world’s largest martial arts organization with his eye on the richest prize in the sport – the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Championship.
The first step requires getting his 50th career win, but he’ll need to defeat Sitthichai, who’s long been considered one of the greatest pound-for-pound kickboxers on the planet.
The Thai legend is an eight-time Muay Thai and Kickboxing World Champion who owns a jaw-dropping 128-35-5 slate across the striking arts.
Since joining ONE, Sitthichai earned a high-profile victory over future ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai. He also went three hard-fought rounds with ONE Interim Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Superbon.
However, “Killer Kid” has fallen on tough times as of late.
He finds himself on a two-bout skid for the first time in 15 years, having fallen to Mohammad Siasarani and #2-ranked contender Marat Grigorian. To break that losing streak and jump back into the World Title picture, Sitthichai must spoil the Noiri’s ONE debut on June 7.
Stay tuned to onefc.com for more news and announcements about ONE 167.
