Yuki Yoza aimed to demonstrate ninja-like flow vs Elbrus Osmanov: "I wanted to show that kind of smooth movement

Japanese kickboxing star Yuki Yoza made a splash in his ONE Championship debut last May 23 at ONE Friday Fights 109 when he defeated Elbrus Osmanov via unanimous decision inside the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Following the victory, Yoza said that he wanted to showcase a different type of flow that his foreign counterparts often associate with a ninja, as he told ONE Championship in a recent interview:

"Foreigners often compare my movement to a ninja, so I wanted to show that kind of smooth movement."

The 27-year-old sensation was successful in showcasing this during their match with his incredible counterattacks and vicious kicks that stunned 'The Samurai' multiple times during the showdown.

Apart from his outstanding performance, Yoka's corner was also stacked with other ONE Championship stars such as reigning ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world champion Masaaki Noiri and former K1 champion Takeru Segawa, who are his teammates at Team Vasileus.

---

Yuki Yoza surprised by power that Elbrus Osmanov had in their clash at ONE Friday Fights 109

Yuki Yoza credited Elbrus Osmanov for showing up and bringing his best against him last week because he was surprised by the power of the Russian in his strikes.

During his post-fight interview with the world's largest martial arts organization, the striking menace said that he was able to keep up with Osmanov's speed during the match, but he never expected his strikes to have more pop.

The former K-1 champion even claimed that the Akhmat Kickboxing and Team Mehdi Zatout representative was the first opponent who exceeded his expectations. He said:

"As for speed, I was able to handle it, but his offensive power exceeded my imagination. It's the first time someone has exceeded my expectations."

Fans can rewatch all the action at ONE Friday Fights 109 via ONE Championship's YouTube channel, the ONE Super App, and watch.onefc.com.