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For a fighter used to Japanese crowds, Yuki Yoza’s debut in Bangkok was something else entirely. The roar inside Lumpinee Stadium at ONE Friday Fights 109 caught him off guard, but in the best way.
In a post-game analysis he uploaded on his Youtube channel, Yoza shared his experience going into OFF 109:
"If you think about it, it might be a numbered series," he said. "The venue was packed. But I think once you see and experience that, you'll probably think 'I want to go there' or 'that's nice.' That's amazing. It's the best."
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"After all, yeah. We're away from home, aren't we? When people close to you come to support you, it's really powerful. Yeah."
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But more than the people who came with him for support, he also massively appreciated the warm welcome he received from the Thai crowd:
"It's really amazing how much expectation there is after seeing the environment after the fight. That makes me happy, and there are more and more of these things, so I can't lose."
Yoza’s methodical win over Elbrus Osmanov was impressive on its own, but what stuck with him just as much was the energy from a crowd that barely knew him a week earlier.
Watch the full video below:
“It was a good experience” - Yuki Yoza proud to experience the power of fighting on the ONE Championship’s global stage
It wasn't all smooth sailing inside the ring. Elbrus Osmanov came to test him, and Yuki Yoza had to adjust in real time to a different rhythm, different pace, and more physical exchanges than he was used to in Japan.
"I guess the roughness of the exchanges and things like that are part of fighting on the world stage," he said. "I think that kind of thing wouldn't really happen with Japanese fighters, so including that, it was a good experience and fun."
"It was unusual for me to get pushed around, but I think because my body felt quite strong, I didn't feel like I was getting thrown around that much."
It wasn't perfect, but Yoza is pretty satisfied with how things turned out. As for the matter of when we'll get to see more of him, follow ONE Championship on social media for the latest news and updates.
