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Yuki Yoza gave everything he had in his ONE Championship debut.
The former K-1 lightweight titleholder delivered a spectacular showing in his promotional premiere at ONE Friday Fights 109 inside the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, scoring a unanimous decision win over Russian standout Elbrus Osmanov.
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Despite his accolades in Japan, Yoza walked onto martial arts' biggest global stage with uncertainty creeping into his mind.
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But instead of folding under the pressure, the 27-year-old star put together a performance for the ages, earning his first win in ONE Championship and immediately establishing himself as a legitimate contender in the bantamweight kickboxing division.
Speaking with the promotion following ONE Friday Fights 109, Yoza offered some insight into his mindset ahead of his debut and how the lack of confidence ultimately impacted his performance.
"I couldn't be confident, so because I couldn't be confident, I was able to keep attacking until the end," Yoza said. "I had the feeling that I had to win."
Yuki Yoza loved the atmosphere competing inside the Mecca of Muay Thai
In addition to it being his first fight in ONE Championship, it was also Yuki Yoza's first-ever time competing inside Lumpinee Stadium.
Discussing the raucous atmosphere on his YouTube channel, Yoza said:
"The atmosphere and feel were just amazing," Yoza said. "One kick and the crowd would go crazy, so in that sense, I think we put on a match that the Friday crowd really enjoyed."
Yoza was also complimentary of his opponent.
"There was the tension from it being my ONE debut fight," he added. "[Elbrus Osmanov] 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!"
If you missed any of the action, you can watch the full ONE Friday Fights 109 replay on demand via ONE Championship’s YouTube channel and the ONE Super App.
