During a recent Instagram Live session, Marat Grigorian answered several fan questions and revealed that – to his knowledge – Chingiz Allazov has vacated his ONE Championship kickboxing title. Combat sports blogger Alise Telimi discussed several hot topics with him.
When asked about the status of the featherweight title and whether Allazov had relinquished it, Grigorian responded,
"Yes, Chingiz gave back his title, so it's vacant now. I asked Chatri about it, but they are silent about it."
The two shared the ring in a heated battle, with Allazov narrowly defeating the challenger in his first and most recent title defense, which took place nearly a year ago.
Issues between ONE Championship and Chingiz Allazov have persisted for much of the year, with the reigning champion making it clear that he is not aligned with the promotion's direction and is exploring better opportunities elsewhere. Although Allazov recently signed a new contract that runs until December 2026, he and his team have expressed their desire to relinquish the title ahead of the interim title fight between Superbon and Marat Grigorian, which took place in April of this year.
Following his knockout win over longtime rival Sitthichai, the Armenian fighter is once again setting his sights on the title, ideally outside of Thailand. He stated, "…they appreciate Muay Thai rules, but I'm a clean kickboxer. I need to be judged by kickboxing rules."
Where does that leave ONE Championship? Chatri Sityodtong has hinted at the announcement of an upcoming Featherweight Grand Prix, which could establish the new hierarchy in ONE's most competitive kickboxing division, with or without Allazov.
CHINGIZ ALLAZOV
Following Timothy Wheaton's initial report, Chingiz Allazov has reached out to us to confirm Marat Grigorian's statement.
Although details are still being finalized, Japan appears to be a destination of interest.
