Kana Morimoto: 3 Reasons Why Japanese Kickboxing Superstar Is About To Light Up ONE Championship

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Japanese kickboxing superstar Kana Morimoto emerged as ONE Championship's latest marquee signing from "the land of the rising sun" last week. "Krusher Queen" is set to test her mettle in ONE's talent-rich women's atomweight kickboxing and Muay Thai divisions.

Her first matchup on the global stage, however, is still to be announced. So, why does Kana's arrival have the world talking? Allow us to explain with just three reasons.

1. Kana Has Excellent Fighting Pedigree

Kana has been practicing martial arts since she was a schoolgirl. She took up karate in her native city of Matsusaka. After she finished school, the promising athlete moved to Tokyo to pursue a career in kickboxing.

The move bore fruit straight away, as she soon started racking up wins as an amateur and became a two-time K-1 Challenge Women's B Class Tournament Champion before turning professional in 2015.

2. Kana Dominated The Japanese Kickboxing Scene

Kana quickly set about making her mark as a professional, beginning her life in the paid ranks with three straight knockouts. She went on to win titles in well-respected regional promotions before she moved to the famous K-1 promotion where she became a star.

The 32-year-old's dominance continued against high-level opposition, and she capped her career by taking out the gruelling K-1 Women's Flyweight World Grand Prix in 2019. Kana then defended the belt on three occasions to establish herself as one of the top pound-for-pound women's kickboxers on the planet.

3. She Trains Alongside Muay Thai Royalty

Kana has enjoyed most of her success under kickboxing and K-1 rules in her homeland, but she is getting ready to take on some of the world's best in the home of Muay Thai too.

ONE's newest arrival has recently been plying her trade at Superbon Training Camp under the watchful eye of ONE Interim Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Superbon.

She has also been seen taking advice from another resident of the star-studded gym, former ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Petchtanong Petchfergus.

Whether she is eyeing an assault on ONE's women's atomweight Muay Thai ranks remains to be seen. Either way, she is about to embark on an intriguing odyssey at the home of the world's best female strikers.