Monk Weapon Design?

[Zohnax]

Personally, I never found the Sphairai model to be akin to an effective weapon, until you upgraded it and there were glowing orbs or light from within the tigers' mouths which made me think of punching with energy...
But I digress. This newer model actually looks like a more effective weapon.

The actual origin of the Sphairai is partly depicted as a blunt type weapon, however, as pulled from the historical origin from ffxiclopedia:

Sphairai (Spharai is a misspelling) was a dangerous type of Caestus which was made of several thin strips of leather with cutting blades inserted in them which were wrapped around. This allowed each punch to cut up an opponent and even a glancing blow would deal damage. Sphairai were used in Pankration (sport in the ancient world considered a combination of boxing and wrestling - Pankration means "all-strength" or "all-power"). Sphairai means "spheres" and derives from the thick rings of leather that would be wrapped around the fist.

Caestus (plural Cesti) was a glove used in hand-to-hand combat in ancient Greece and ancient Rome. In Latin, cestus referred to leather wrapped over or binding anything, including metal studs, plates, or spikes. As such, some Cesti had spikes over metal knuckles. Many Greek versions were only straps of leather wrapped around the fist (Himantes), though the Roman versions were spiked or studded. The Cesti resembled studded or spiked gloves. More dangerous types of Cesti were the Spharai and the Myrmex (which meant "limb-piercer"). Cesti were used in Pankration (sport in the ancient world considered a combination of boxing and wrestling - Pankration means "all-strength" or "all-power") or unarmed gladiatorial combat. Boxing involving Cesti became so bloody, the Caestus was banned in the 1st century BCE. Eventually hand-to-hand fighting would be banned in 393CE. Caestus is the considered a variant of the word Cestus, which was a belt or girdle worn by women in ancient Greece.

This can be confirmed as well by searching for, "Sphairai greece" in a search engine for even more sources.
So slashing, piercing, as well as blunt damage are all in the history of hand-to-hand weaponry.