ONE Championship: “I was tired in many ways” - Yuki Yoza satisfied with his debut win performance at ONE Friday Fights 109

Yuki Yoza reflected on his first win under the ONE Championship banner.

Yoza, a Japanese former K-1 world champion, made his highly anticipated ONE debut on May 23 at ONE Friday Fights 109.

The 27-year-old superstar faced massive expectations and delivered a validating performance to defeat Elbrus Osmanov by unanimous decision.

Following his ONE debut, Yoza did an interview with the promotion and had this to say about his win:

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"There was the tension from it being my ONE debut fight. My opponent was also a really strong fighter, so there was pressure from that too. I was tired in many ways. But it's the best. I was able to win. I was aiming for a bonus, but I'll settle for this!"

Yuki Yoza trains with ONE bantamweight kickboxing superstar Takeru Segawa and ONE interim featherweight kickboxing champion Masaaki Noiri. Both world-class Japanese strikers were featured in Yoza's corner for his promotional debut.

Watch highlights of Yoza's ONE Championship debut below:

Yuki Yoza plans to take out "well-known fighters" in ONE bantamweight kickboxing division

Yuki Yoza joined the ONE bantamweight kickboxing division, which features world champion Jonathan Haggerty, number one-ranked Wei Rui, number two-ranked Ilias Ennahachi, number three-ranked Petchtanong, number four-ranked Hiroki Akimoto, and number five-ranked Superlek.

While speaking to ONE, Yoza had this to say about his plans to take out the previously mentioned top contenders to become a world champion:

"From now on, I want to defeat the well-known fighters one by one. I will definitely take the ONE belt, so please keep watching."

Jonathan Haggerty captured the vacant ONE bantamweight kickboxing world title with a second-round knockout win against Fabricio Andrade in November 2023.

On February 20, Haggerty extended his title reign with his first successful defense, an impressive unanimous decision win against Wei Rui.

Haggerty's next defense could be against Ilia Ennahachi, the former three-time flyweight champion who defeated Hiroki Akimoto last time out.

As for Yuki Yoza, the Japanese superstar seems destined to take on a top bantamweight contender later this year.

Yoza's star power and world-class striking skills make him an exciting addition to the already stacked bantamweight kickboxing division.

About the author

Jake Foley is a journalist at Sportskeeda, specializing in covering all forms of combat sports, including MMA, Boxing, Kickboxing, and Muay Thai. His passion is ignited by the exceptional fusion of physical and mental skills demanded by world-class fighters in these sports. Jake is captivated by the intricate mix of fierce determination and a modest mindset exhibited by athletes in these disciplines. He also finds the atmosphere of major championships, like the epic clash between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor, truly unparalleled.

Jake has earned his UFC credentials to cover the major events for Sportskeeda and has conducted several interviews.

Jake supports various teams across several professional sports, including the Las Vegas Raiders, Inter Miami, Norwich City, Miami Marlins, and Las Vegas Golden Knights. The sports moment Jake will never forget is Jon Jones dismantling Vladimir Matyushenko.

Since joining the SportsKeeda team, Jake has written 400 articles covering several MMA promotions, including the UFC and ONE Championship. He continues to work hard to maintain his journalistic integrity and tell the stories of fighters worldwide.

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Edited by Jigyanshushri Mahanta