Nadaka Yoshinari Admits His Kickboxing Debut Left Him Frustrated
Nadaka Yoshinari came away with a victory at ONE SAMURAI 3, but the reigning champion felt there was more he could have shown.
Nadaka Yoshinari got his hand raised in the main event of ONE SAMURAI 3, yet the Japanese star was not completely satisfied with what he produced.
The ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion defeated Har Ling Om by unanimous decision on Sept. 12 at Yokohama Buntai. The victory extended his winning streak to 42, but his first professional kickboxing appearance also showed him areas of his game that need work.
Nadaka Yoshinari Wanted More From His Debut
Nadaka entered the contest hoping to showcase what he had developed through years of training. Instead, the bout became a learning experience as Har Ling Om became increasingly difficult to break down.
“Because this was my kickboxing debut, I wanted to show everything I have developed up to this point and close the event with my best possible performance. I was able to win, but I couldn’t perform the way I had envisioned, so I am left with a lot of frustration.
Nadaka had planned to wear his opponent down before looking for a finish in the later stages. But from the middle of the second round, Har Ling Om became more defensive, forcing the champion to work through a different kind of challenge.
That gave Nadaka a clear idea of what he needs to add to his kickboxing arsenal.
“It made me realize I need to develop the ability to keep pressuring and finish an opponent who is focused on surviving.”
The experience also reminded him how much of his instinct comes from Muay Thai. He caught himself thinking about techniques that would have been available to him under his usual rules but were not permitted in kickboxing.
Nadaka Yoshinari has Another Defense Ahead
There is little time for Nadaka to dwell on the debut.
He is scheduled to return to Muay Thai at ONE SAMURAI 4 on Oct. 17, where he will defend his ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Championship against Rifdean Masdor at Ariake Arena in Tokyo.
The quick turnaround has also left Nadaka open to the possibility of continuing in both sports.
“After doing kickboxing tonight, I don’t think competing in both sports is impossible. I felt new possibilities for myself, and this fight gave me another reason to keep getting stronger.”
For now, though, his attention returns to Muay Thai and the next defense of his title.
