Behind Marat Grigorian’s Mean Mug Is A Man Who Laughs At Himself In The Mirror
Every morning, Marat Grigorian looks in the mirror and asks who the ugly guy staring back at him is. It is a rare glimpse of humor from a fighter whose war face has become his trademark.
The 35-year-old Armenian, a three-time Glory Kickboxing World Champion, faces “The Handsome White Dragon” Luo Chao in a semifinal of the ONE SAMURAI Featherweight Kickboxing Tournament at ONE SAMURAI 4 on Saturday, October 17. The event takes place at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.
Grigorian knows strangers often find him intimidating. He grew up relocating more than once in search of better circumstances, and life left little room for anything soft along the way.
That history, combined with the demands of his profession, explains the serious expression. Yet the man behind it begins each day with a far gentler routine than most would expect.
“When I look at my reflection every morning, I just tell myself, ‘Who is that ugly guy?’ Jokes aside, the angry face is actually already there. But I do smile. I do relax a little bit. I always tell myself, ‘This is gonna be a good day.’ I fill myself with positivity,” Grigorian said.
“Otherwise, when I’m at church, I typically have a calm expression. It’s a peaceful day in my mind and in my soul. I feel peace in myself. Maybe my face may look mean, but the important thing is what I’m feeling inside.”
Even his coach at Hemmers Gym, Nick Hemmers, has long urged him to smile more. Grigorian hopes fans eventually meet that gentler version of him, but with the semifinal closing in, it has been put away for now.
“After every victory, for sure, I do smile. I’m happy. I need to have that moment where I cool down in my head. But after that, especially if I win this semifinal, I need to go back to work, you know. I want to win this tournament very badly,” he said.
“So, the smile that I want fans to see will have to be switched to my mean look again. While I want people to remember that I’m actually quite a chill guy – especially when I’m done with this fight – it’s not just the right time to be a nice guy again.”
READ MORE: Jonathan Haggerty Credits Hard Work And Coach Christian Knowles Ahead Of ONE SAMURAI 4
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