ONE Championship Announces Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix, Teases Potential Stars

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In a year that looks to be ONE Championship's most significant yet, the world's largest martial arts organization has dropped some news that has lit up the combat sports community around the world.

Earlier this week, the promotion announced the return of the prestigious ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix on Instagram, teasing some of the biggest names in the sport that could appear in the tournament.

Although the promotion hasn't released any names or dates as to when the tournament could begin, fans are already speculating as to how many of ONE's biggest stars could feature in the kickboxing extravaganza.

ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Chingiz Allazov sits at the top of the division. And former king Superbon currently holds the division's interim crown following his victory over Marat Grigorian in April at ONE Friday Fights 58.

The featherweight kickboxing division is among the most stacked striking realm anywhere in the world. And with that, there are a multitude of other names fans are hoping to see in the illustrious grand prix.

Who Will Compete in ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix?

Among those is ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai. While he is booked to defend his Muay Thai crown in the main event of ONE 167 on Saturday, 8 June, inside Bangkok, Thailand's Impact Arena against Jo Nattawut, he still has plans to become a two-sport king.

He has since showcased his striking acumen in kickboxing action against veterans Jamal Yusupov, Davit Kiria, and Nattawut in their first meeting last October. Given how driven the young Thai is, he won't stop until he gets a second strap.

Other names that could feature are former ONE World Title challenger Marat Grigorian and Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong. The pair have gone to battle on numerous occasions in the past, and fans certainly wouldn't pass up another scrap between the two rivals.

Meanwhile, Sitthichai is currently booked to meet promotional newcomer Masaaki Noiri at ONE 167 where the Thai will look to disrupt the Japanese icon's plans in the organization after an illustrious run in K-1.

Noiri is a golden name in the world of kickboxing, having previously been a two-weight K-1 World Champion and a K-1 Grand Prix winner. And when the two clash next month, it could inadvertently have huge ramifications with the massive tournament looming.

There have been two previous renditions of the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix. The first came in 2019 as legend Giorgio Petrosyan dispatched Petchmorakot Petchyindee, Nattawut, and Samy Sana to win the US$1million prize.

The second came in 2022 when Allazov knocked off Nattawut and Sittichai to win the tournament before storming through Superbon to win the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Title in January 2022.