Yuki Yoza made a successful debut in ONE Championship at ONE Friday Fights 109. The Japanese star defeated Elbrus Osmanov in their bantamweight kickboxing matchup by unanimous decision. While it was not the highlight-reel debut he wanted, he was happy to get his hand raised in the end.
“Well, 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 stated to ONE after the event.
Yuki Yoza Discusses Victory Last Friday
Now on the global stage, Yuki Yoza has to contend with the most dangerous roster of strikers. Although confident in his skills, the 27-year-old got an eye-opening experience in his debut. The Japanese star admitted he was affected by Osmanov’s abilities.
“I usually set my expectations of opponents quite high, so they rarely exceed them. But Osmanov’s power and other aspects exceeded my imagination, so he was strong. His offensive power was incredible. His middle kicks were the strongest I’ve ever faced from any kickboxing opponent, and they had enough power to delay my returns. He was really strong. His punches were strong too, but his kicks had enough power to break my core balance, enough to disrupt my balance,” Yoza described.
Yuki Yoza Knows He’s Got Things to Correct in Next Fight
Given his expectations, Yuki Yoza was not thrilled with his debut. Eager to get back in the ring as soon as possible, the Japanese star wants a better performance in his sophomore setting. He minced no words in grading his outing.
“No, it was totally bad. Really bad. Yes. I need a do-over,” Yoza stated.
The real deal 💯 Who should be Yuki Yoza's next test after his impressive debut at ONE Friday Fights 109? @yozayuki_1 #ONEChampionship pic.twitter.com/JfVwsaVvXe
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) May 26, 2025
After nabbing the win, Yoza is turning his attention to the elite of the division. The new bantamweight striker wants someone ranked inside the official ONE athlete rankings. And there is one name standing out above all others.
Yuki Yoza Hungry for Fight vs. Superlek
“Since they’re rankers, I think I’ll probably work my way through them in order, but I really want to fight Superlek [Kiatmoo9]. It would be a fight between two fighters who have kicks that can break leg bones. I think we could have a leg-breaking battle,” the debutant remarked.
With his feet wet, Yoza is chomping at the bit to chase the ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title. He hopes his first showing got fans excited to see him return. Yuki Yoza is confident he can take gold and become Japan’s next breakout star among the world’s greatest strikers.
“I love fighting, so when I was posting about fighters I wanted to fight on social media, people were saying ‘Who is this guy?’ I think today’s fight showed that I have the ability to call out names. 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,” Yuki Yoza said.
