Semifinal Matches Set for ONE SAMURAI Featherweight Kickboxing Tournament

Three-time Glory Kickboxing Champion Marat Grigorian takes on Chinese sensation Luo Chao, and former ONE Interim Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Masaaki Noiri clashes with Iranian standout Mohammad Siasarani in the semifinals at ONE SAMURAI 4 on Saturday, October 17, from Tokyo, Japan.

All four quarterfinal matchups went down earlier this month. Grigorian defeated Russia's Mamuka Usubyan via unanimous decision, while Luo Chao outpointed Kosuke Takagi by the same margin on the other side of the bracket.

Noiri avenged his previous loss to Liu Mengyang with a knockout in under three minutes, and Siasarani stopped Kaito in less than two minutes to book his spot in the semifinals.

And as previously announced, the ONE SAMURAI 4 card will be topped by a ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title match between Jonathan Haggerty and Hiroki Akimoto. 

Marat Grigorian's Experience vs. Luo Chao's Youth

Grigorian arrives at ONE SAMURAI 4 on the strongest form of his recent career. The 35-year-old Armenian kickboxing legend carries a 71-14 striking record with 41 finishes and a four-fight winning streak that has produced some of the most convincing performances of his ONE Championship tenure.

His 8-3 promotional mark reflects years of world-class competition against the finest strikers in the sport, and the tournament semifinal stage is precisely the kind of high-stakes environment in which Grigorian's experience tends to be most decisive.

Luo Chao brings a very different energy to the matchup. The 25-year-old Chinese striker has claimed six consecutive victories under the ONE banner, carrying a 44-11 career record with 18 knockouts into the semifinal.

Masaaki Noiri Returns to Japan Looking to Ride Knockout Momentum

 

Noiri's path through the quarterfinals carried significant personal weight. His 52-14 striking record includes 28 knockouts, including the first-round stoppage of Liu Mengyang. That, in particular, was extra meaningful, as he avenged a decision loss that had been on his record since December 2024.

The 33-year-old Japanese fighter’s history with Superbon adds another dimension to the tournament stakes. Noiri, who claimed the ONE Interim Featherweight Kickboxing World Title by knocking out Tawanchai PK Saenchai, fell short in his unification attempt against Superbon, so his motivation for redemption if sky-high.

Siasarani represents a serious obstacle between Noiri and that ambition. The 24-year-old Iranian carries a 29-13 career record and an impressive 10-2 ONE mark, arriving on a six-fight winning streak that includes a first-round knockout of Kaito.

Tournament Winner Earns a Shot at Superbon’s Featherweight Kickboxing Belt

The prize at the end of this tournament is one of the most coveted in ONE Championship's striking divisions: a shot at the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Title. Superbon has established himself as the standard-setter in featherweight kickboxing.

Grigorian has faced Superbon twice and carries the motivation of a fighter who knows exactly where his ceiling currently stands and is working to raise it through the tournament.

Noiri has experienced the Superbon challenge from inside the ring. Luo and Siasarani represent the next generation hunting the same prize, and the unpredictability of two younger challengers in the semifinal mix makes the October 17 card genuinely open.

ONE SAMURAI 4 in Tokyo will produce two finalists, and the featherweight kickboxing division will be watching closely to see who earns the right to challenge the champion.