The highly anticipated ONE Championship event, ONE Fight Night 24: Brooks vs. Balart, is just two weeks away. This stacked card features a clash of elite talent, including a highly anticipated matchup between #3-ranked flyweight kickboxing contender Taiki ‘Silent Sniper” Naito and Elias “The Sniper” Mahmoudi. The event takes place at the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on August 2nd and will air live in US primetime.

While fans may know everything about their ONE athletes, there’s always an air of mystery surrounding some fighters’ nicknames, like Taiki Naito’s ‘Silent Sniper.” This kind of intrigue leaves fans scratching their heads. But worry no more! Naito himself has finally revealed the reason behind his nickname in an exclusive interview with Raj Sarkar from EssentiallySports.

Raj: Now, something very interesting about this fight is the nicknames of both fighters. Your alias is “Silent Sniper,” while Elias’s nickname is “The Sniper.” This makes the fight very interesting, like ‘Silent Sniper vs. The Sniper.” I just wanted to ask how you picked up this nickname and where it exactly came from.

Upon hearing this, both Taiki Naito and his translator chuckled. The translator relayed Naito’s answer in English.

Taiki ‘Silent Sniper’ Naito: I got this nickname while fighting in Japan. I am a counter-striker—very patient and quiet—but when I knock out my opponents, I do so decisively. That’s the reason why I got the nickname “Silent Sniper,” which I like as well.

That’s a fascinating explanation behind Naito’s nickname, considering his rise to prominence in Japan. Fans eager for more interesting facts about Taiki Naito’s life can find information below.

All bout Taiki Naito

Taiki Naito’s martial arts journey began with Karate. His mother enrolled him in classes when he was young to instill discipline. Growing up, he became fascinated by Japanese kickboxing fights on TV and dreamed of becoming a professional kickboxer himself.

However, his mother set a condition: he first had to win a national karate championship. He achieved this goal within a year and then, at the age of 14, transitioned to kickboxing training at a newly opened gym in his hometown. Later that year, he made his professional debut. By the time he turned 18, he was the Shoot Boxing Japan Super Bantamweight Champion.

Now, all eyes are on the upcoming ONE Fight Night 24; Brooks vs. Balart. It will be intriguing to see if Taiki Naito can bounce back from his recent loss when he takes on Elias Mahmoudi, who emerged victorious in his last fight at ONE Fight Night 13 back in August. Stay tuned for further updates.