Following the cancellation of the fight between Marat Grigorian and Kaito Ono due to Grigorian missing weight and Ono declining the catchweight bout, Grigorian and his trainer, Nick Hemmers, shared their side of the story.
Interviewer: Marat, a disappointing day. Let`s start with the weigh-in. What exactly happened?
Nick Hemmers: The weigh-in window was 10 AM to 1 PM. At 9 AM, he was 69.5 kg, needing 70.3 kg. We needed to add 800 grams. We drank water, ran to lose excess, drank more. He felt fine but couldn`t urinate. We had to wait.
Marat Grigorian: I couldn`t pee. That was the issue.
Nick Hemmers: We waited, trying multiple times, but he still couldn`t urinate. This made us 30 minutes late for the weigh-in window. After being late, you still need to pass a hydration test, even if overweight.
Interviewer: So, despite being late after hydrating, you provided a sample for ONE Championship?
Marat Grigorian: Yes, it was fine.
Interviewer: You passed hydration?
Nick Hemmers: Yes, we passed the hydration test, but were 30 minutes late. ONE`s rules state this results in a fine. If you pass hydration but miss weight slightly (we were 340 grams over, about half a bottle of water), you can still fight, but the opponent must agree to a catchweight.
Interviewer: What can you share about the negotiations and why they failed?
Nick Hemmers: ONE handled the negotiations. Kaito knew about the situation at 2 PM and had until 8 PM to decide. He waited until 1:30 AM, when everyone was asleep, to refuse.
Interviewer: Marat, you posted that Kaito should play tennis instead of fighting.
Marat Grigorian: Yes, absolutely. We train hard for these big events in major arenas, and he just walks away, abandoning everything, just to get his paycheck.
Interviewer: To play devil`s advocate, do you understand his perspective that the contract requires you to make weight?
Nick Hemmers: He`s correct about the weight rule. But we`re fighters; this is the fight game, not tennis.
Marat Grigorian: Exactly, it`s the fight game. We prepared for so long, and for just 300 grams! It`s my mistake, but come on, only 300 grams! And he won`t fight on this huge stage?
Interviewer: Kaito got paid, but did you?
Nick Hemmers: No, because we missed weight. If the opponent agrees, we pay them a percentage of our earnings. I believe Kaito was simply looking for an easy way out of the fight.
Interviewer: Kaito missed the press conference this week. Do you think that indicates anything about their decision?
Nick Hemmers: I think they were scared from the start.
Marat Grigorian: He was scared. If he didn`t want this fight, he should have said so earlier. I put everything into preparing for this big event, mentally and physically. Look at the outcome. Many fans are disappointed. I`m sorry for them, and I`m very disappointed myself.
Nick Hemmers: To be clear, we made the mistake by missing weight. But there`s a big difference between missing by two kilos and missing by 340 grams. That`s almost nothing, like one trip to the bathroom.
Interviewer: Kaito has focused on a rematch with GLORY champion Tyjani, mentioning you less. Do you think this played a role?
Nick Hemmers: But have you seen what Marat did to Tyjani?
Marat Grigorian: I don`t want to fight Kaito now. I won`t give him this opportunity again. This was his chance. Next opponent.
Interviewer: Regarding your next fight, you`ll need a new offer from ONE. Who do you want to face, and why are you no longer interested in Kaito?
Marat Grigorian: If Noiri were in Kaito`s place, he would definitely take the fight. Noiri is a true fighter; I know he has the mental strength. I don`t see that fighter mentality in Kaito, walking away over 300 grams. I`ll fight Tawanchai or Noiri, it doesn`t matter.
Nick Hemmers: We thank ONE Championship for the opportunity. Marat is ready for the next event, whether it`s in one, two, or three months. This was a one-time mistake in his long career. He`s fought the best worldwide and never missed weight before. This is the first time, and it won`t happen again.
Ellis Thorne