Karen Ghazaryan to debut in ONE FC: a new chance to revive Armenia’s interest in the league

The international organization ONE Championship (ONE FC) continues its efforts to strengthen its position in the Armenian market. Following the unsuccessful debut of kickboxer Narek Khachikyan two weeks ago, the promotion is making another move — giving yet another Armenian fighter a chance to prove himself on Asia’s biggest stage.

24-year-old Karen Ghazaryan (5–0) will face Japan’s Hiroba Minowa (14–6, ONE: 3–4) under MMA rules at ONE Fight Night 42, scheduled for April 10 in Bangkok.

In 2025, Ghazaryan has already made a strong statement: he fought in Kazakhstan’s Naiza FC league in a bout that was nominated for Fight of the Year. In addition, the Armenian fighter has competed in Tbilisi, Batumi, Kharkiv, and Stepanakert, securing early finishes in all his fights.

It is worth noting that after the departure of Giorgio Petrosyan and Chingiz Allazov, interest in ONE FC among Armenian fans significantly declined. Why especially Allazov? Because after his exit, Marat Grigorian’s presence in the league became less compelling. The rivalry between Allazov and Grigorian was something special.

Currently, Grigorian fights much less frequently and mostly competes in Japan, where he has built a stable fan base. However, his bouts against lesser-known Japanese opponents mainly attract local audiences and no longer generate the same international buzz.

Previously, ONE FC had already attempted to rekindle Armenian fan interest through MMA, but without much success. Taron Grigorian had only one fight and lost, while Maurice Boleyan secured two quick wins but never got the opportunity to face Demetrious Johnson. Eventually, Boleyan left the organization at the same time as the legendary “Mighty Mouse.”

Now, the attention of Armenian fans is once again focused on a new name — Karen Ghazaryan, who will try not only to make a successful debut but also to revive interest in ONE FC in the region.