Former K-1 champion Yuki Yoza has set his sights on a rapid rise up the stacked bantamweight kickboxing division in ONE Championship following his impressive promotional debut.
The decorated striker launched his career in the promotion with an impressive three-round showing at the recently concluded ONE Friday Fights 109 card inside the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Yoza showcased his all-around brilliance in attack and defense to become the first man to hand Russian slugger Elbrus Osmanov (12-1) a defeat in his career. He took home a unanimous decision win.
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With plenty of talk about who he will face on the global stage next, the Team Vasileus star knows he'll be in for a ride. However, he is more than ready to face more elite competition in his quest for 26 pounds of gold.
"Well, I think I showed that I have the skills to qualify for a spot here in ONE Championship," Yoza told on his official YouTube channel, reflecting on his victorious promotional bow.
"And, well, next time, I want to actually make those other fights happen [against the ranked contenders], and I'll have to beat them."
Based on his technical ability, mental fortitude, and world championship ambitions from day one, the bantamweight kickboxing division has gained a serious new contender capable of challenging the hierarchy.
While his win should place him closer to the upper echelons of the division, Yoza has plenty of work to do on his way to a world title shot in the organization.
Separating him from a spot in the rankings and Jonathan Haggerty's ONE bantamweight kickboxing world title are top-ranked Wei Rui, Ilias Ennahachi (No.2), Petchtanong Petchfergus (No.3), Hiroki Akimoto (No.4), and Superlek Kiatmoo9 (No.5).
Watch the clip here:
Yuki Yoza admits Elbrus Osmanov was one of his hardest-hitting foes
In a separate interview with the promotion, Yuki Yoza gave Osmanov his flowers for providing him with an all-out war inside the Mecca of Muay Thai.
So much so, the Team Vasileus star admits that the Akhmat Kickboxing and Team Mehdi Zatout star was one of the hardest-hitting opponents in his career.
"His middle kicks were the strongest I've ever faced from any kickboxing opponent, and they had enough power to delay my returns," he shared.
Fight fans who missed Yuki Yoza's victorious outing under the ONE spotlight can catch the ONE Friday Fights 109 card via replay on YouTube, the ONE Super App, and watch.onefc.com.