Marat Grigorian and his trainer, Nick Hemmers, share their perspective on the situation.
Following the controversy surrounding Marat Grigorian`s missed weight and Kaito Ono`s subsequent refusal to compete at a catchweight, Beyond Kickboxing spoke with the former GLORY champion and his coach, Nick Hemmers, to get their account of the events.
Interviewer: Marat, this is clearly a very disappointing day for you. Can you start by explaining what happened at the weigh-in?
Nick Hemmers: The weigh-in window was from 10 AM to 1 PM. At 9 AM, Marat weighed 69.5 kg, needing to reach 70.3 kg. We had 800 grams to lose. We drank a liter of water, ran to cut some weight, then drank another half liter. He felt fine, but couldn`t urinate, which prevented him from making the final check.
Marat Grigorian: I couldn`t pee. That was the issue.
Nick Hemmers: We waited, trying multiple times for him to be able to go, but he couldn`t. By the time he could, it was about 30 minutes past the weigh-in deadline, making us late. Even if you miss weight, ONE rules require you to pass a hydration test, and you get extra time for that.
Interviewer: Stepping back slightly, you were late, but you were still able to provide a urine sample to ONE Championship?
Marat Grigorian: Yes, everything with that was fine.
Interviewer: So you passed the hydration test?
Nick Hemmers: Yes, we passed hydration, but we were 30 minutes late. Under ONE`s rules, this results in a fine. If hydration is passed, the fighter is cleared to compete, but a catchweight agreement is needed with the opponent, as Marat was 340 grams over the limit – barely more than a glass of water.
Interviewer: Do you know what happened during the negotiation process, and why it fell through?
Nick Hemmers: ONE Championship handled the negotiations, not us. Kaito was informed at 2 PM and had until 8 PM to decide – a six-hour window. However, he waited until 1:30 AM, long after everyone was asleep, before finally saying no.
Interviewer: You commented that Kaito should be playing tennis instead of fighting.
Marat Grigorian: Yes, absolutely. We put in so much training for this major event, this big stage, and he just throws it all away – except for his paycheck.
Interviewer: To play devil`s advocate, can you see his perspective – that fighters are expected to make weight as per the contract?
Nick Hemmers: He`s correct about the weight requirement. But we are fighters; we are in the fight game. We don`t play tennis; we fight.
Marat Grigorian: This is the fight game. We trained for so long for this specific fight, and it was just 300 grams! Yes, it was my mistake. But seriously, for 300 grams, you refuse to fight on this massive event, this big stage?
Interviewer: Kaito received his pay, but what about you?
Nick Hemmers: No, we didn`t, because we missed weight. When that happens, you negotiate with the opponent. If they agree, you pay them a percentage of your fight purse. Based on how things unfolded, I believe Kaito was just looking for an easy way to avoid fighting Marat.
Interviewer: Kaito also missed the press conference earlier in the week. Do you think that factored into his or his team`s decision?
Nick Hemmers: I think they were apprehensive from the start.
Marat Grigorian: He was scared, you know. If he didn`t want this fight, he should have said so much earlier. I dedicated myself entirely to preparing mentally and physically for this huge event, leaving everything else behind, and look what happened. There are so many disappointed fans here; I feel sorry for them. Personally, I am very disappointed.
Nick Hemmers: To be clear, we acknowledge that we made the initial mistake by missing weight. However, there`s a significant difference between missing by two kilograms and missing by just 340 grams. That amount is negligible; it`s like needing to use the restroom once.
Interviewer: Kaito has frequently expressed his desire for a rematch with GLORY champion Tyjani Beztati this year, focusing less on you. Do you think this could be a factor in his decision?
Nick Hemmers: But have you seen what Marat did against Tyjani?
Marat Grigorian: I don`t want to fight Kaito now. I don`t want to give him this opportunity against me. This was a good chance for him, but now it`s time for the next opponent. I won`t offer him this opportunity again.
Interviewer: Looking ahead, since this fight didn`t happen, you`ll need to wait for ONE Championship`s next offer. Who would you like to face next? You mentioned you`re not interested in Kaito; could you elaborate on why?
Marat Grigorian: If Masaaki Noiri were in Kaito`s position, he would definitely take the fight. Noiri is a true fighter; I`ve seen it, I know it. He has a strong mentality. With Kaito, I don`t see that fighter mentality, because he abandoned the fight over 300 grams. As for my next opponent, Tawanchai or Noiri – it doesn`t really matter.
Nick Hemmers: We want to thank ONE Championship for having us. Marat is ready to fight on the next available card, whether it`s in one, two, or three months. This weight miss was an isolated incident in a very long career. Marat has fought the best globally in numerous countries and has never missed weight before. This is the first time, and it will not happen again.
Jack Thornley 
Oliver Croft