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James Goyder

Japanese K-1 star Kana Morimoto has made the switch to ONE Championship, a move unlikely to improve the frosty relations between the two promotions.
The 32-year-old announced her decision on social media, becoming the latest in a long line of K-1 champions to join Chatri Sityodtong’s outfit.
Morimoto has spent a significant part of the past several years calling out ONE’s Annisa Meksen, although in October last year Chatri poured cold water on the idea of the two clashing, saying the Japanese fighter would “never be ready” for the fight.
Still, he said he would be “supportive if Kana wants to test her skills against Meksen in ONE”.
Chatri has long been dismissive of K-1, calling it a “tiny organisation”, and last year he told the Post more fighters would be following in Takeru Segawa’s footsteps by making the move.












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“I’ll just tell you all the best K-1 fighters want to join ONE and their biggest star joined ONE, Takeru,” Chatri said.
Takeru will be in action at ONE Friday Fights 81 later this month when he faces Thant Zin. There is no news on when Morimoto will be making her debut, but she told the flyweight told the Post she already had an opponent in mind.
“My current target is Phetjeeja [Lukjaoporongtom] a champion in the same weight class as me,” Morimoto said.
Phetjeeja currently holds the atomweight kickboxing title. Morimoto has been very open about her ambition of signing with ONE Championship and is pleased that the deal finally pushed through.
“It was the ring I wanted to fight in so I feel fresh and excited. I’m nervous, but I’m looking forward to it,” Morimoto said.
While she wants to challenge for a title eventually, she accepts the need to beat a contender or two before being handed a shot at Phetjeja.
“My ultimate goal in ONE is to become a champion. I think ONE’s atomweight division is the best in the world, and I want to compete in the upper ranks there,” Morimoto said.
She also name-checked French fighter Meksen as being a potential opponent of interest. The Japanese fighter made it clear she wanted to test herself against elite competition before retiring from the sport.
“I’m in the final stages of my career and I believe ONE is the stage where the best in the world gather,” Morimoto said.
She will be hoping to fare better than former K-1 champions like Takeru and Masaaki Noiri. They both made the move to ONE Championship only to be resoundingly beaten in their first fights.


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ONE Championship

Kana Morimoto has signed with ONE Championship. Photo: Instagram/Kana_silverwolf

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Superlek Kiatmoo9 celebrates after his stunning 49-second knockout victory over Jonathan Haggerty. Photo: ONE Championship

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Demetrious Johnson was champion in the UFC and ONE Championship flyweight champion until he called it a day. Photo: ONE Championship

Sport

Martial Arts

Kickboxing

Japanese kickboxer the latest of promotion’s champions to make move to Chatri Sityodtong’s outfit


Japanese kickboxer the latest of promotion’s champions to make move to Chatri Sityodtong’s outfit.
