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K-1 star Kana Morimoto makes switch to ONE Championship, wants Phetjeeja’s atomweight belt

Japanese kickboxer the latest of promotion’s champions to make move to Chatri Sityodtong’s outfit

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Kana Morimoto has signed with ONE Championship. Photo: Instagram/Kana_silverwolf

Japanese K-1 star Kana Morimoto has made the switch to ONE Championship, a move unlikely to improve the frosty relations between the two promotions.

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The 32-year-old announced her decision on social media, becoming the latest in a long line of K-1 champions to join Chatri Sityodtong’s outfit.

Morimoto has spent a significant part of the past several years calling out ONE’s Annisa Meksen, although in October last year Chatri poured cold water on the idea of the two clashing, saying the Japanese fighter would “never be ready” for the fight.

Still, he said he would be “supportive if Kana wants to test her skills against Meksen in ONE”.

Chatri has long been dismissive of K-1, calling it a “tiny organisation”, and last year he told the Post more fighters would be following in Takeru Segawa’s footsteps by making the move.
 

“I’ll just tell you all the best K-1 fighters want to join ONE and their biggest star joined ONE, Takeru,” Chatri said.

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