“Natural for me to get this dream” - Japanese sensation Yuki Yoza says his entry into ONE Championship’s stage was inevitable

Yuki Yoza always knew that he was destined to step on ONE Championship's global stage. The Japanese sensation will make his highly anticipated promotional debut when he takes on Elbrus Osmanov in a bantamweight kickboxing match at ONE Friday Fights 109 on May 23.

Yoza's matchup against the undefeated Russian brawler goes down at the historic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok.

In an interview with the South China Morning Post, Yoza said it was natural for him to aim at eventually joining ONE Championship's stacked kickboxing roster.

Yoza knew he had to prove himself on the biggest platform to become one of the greatest kickboxers in history.

He said:

"It’s not something I was wishing for, it was more something like I was on my way to grabbing this dream. So it’s natural for me to get this dream."

Yuki Yoza signed with ONE Championship earlier this year after a stellar run at K-1 Kickboxing, where he captured the promotion's lightweight strap in 2023.

The 27-year-old eventually relinquished his throne when he signed with ONE Championship.

Although he's yet to debut in the promotion, Yoza is no stranger to ONE Championship.

Yoza is one of the fighters under the famed Team Vasileus in Tokyo and is teammates with ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world champion Masaaki Noiri and three-division K-1 Kickboxing champion Takeru Segawa.

He was also at Noiri's corner at the latter's leg-breaking technical knockout finish of Shakir Al-Tekreeti at ONE 170 in Bangkok.

Watch Yoza's entire interview below:

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Yuki Yoza grateful for Takeru and Masaaki Noiri's guidance

Japan has steadily strengthened its foothold in ONE Championship, and Yuki Yoza looks to continue that upward trajectory when he debuts at ONE Friday Fights 109.

Yoza is just a few weeks from his promotional debut, and he couldn't help but be grateful for Masaaki Noiri and Takeru Segawa's guidance throughout his training camp.

In the same interview with the South China Morning Post, Yoza said:

"It’s good to have those two in the team, as well. I’ve been getting a lot of inspiration from Takeru and Noiri."