Masaaki Noiri has risen to become a top name in the Japanese kickboxing scene, but there was a time when such a statement was impossible to fathom for him. 

Noiri is set to make his ONE Championship debut when he meets Thai veteran Sitthichai Sitsonpeenong at ONE 167: Stamp vs. Zamboanga on Friday, June 7, inside the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand, and he spoke about some troubles he had as a youngster in a recent interview with the promotion.

Masaaki Noiri became an accidental fighter to stand against bullies!

“I used to be bullied when I was little,” he said. 

“In the second grade of elementary school, I was the second shortest in my class height-wise. The shortest kid would scratch me.  

“The kids would also take me to the hallways in the school building and hit me. I didn’t do anything wrong, though.” 

The Japanese star had to endure tough treatment at the hands of his peers until, one day,  a family friend intervened. 

That proved to be a catalyzing moment for the young Noiri, as he decided to follow in his protector’s footsteps and take up combat sports.

“I started karate in December of second grade. When I was being bullied, it was my middle brother’s friend who came to stop it. That friend did karate, so that’s how I got into it,” he said.

Learning to fight was originally a necessity for the future striking star, but it soon became a routine.

And even when his family, who had started the journey with him, drifted away from it, Noiri knew he had to keep it up.

“I simply wanted to get stronger, so I started karate. I was really excited for my first class. My two brothers and dad all started together. Around three months in, I had my first match,” he said. 

Noiri was not one to give up!

“My dad and oldest brother quickly quit after that. Eventually, my middle brother quit, too. Everyone else quit, but I stuck with it because it was fun, and I had nothing else.”

The Tokyo native has since amassed a professional career record of 49-11, and he has won notable tournaments and belts in K-1, Glory, and Krush. 

Noiri will take his talents to ONE Championship on June 7, and he’ll undoubtedly add to the promotion’s blistering list of world-class striking talent.