Yuki Yoza: "This guy will be a problem" - Fans beyond hyped for Japanese superstar Yuki Yoza's signing with ONE Championship

"This guy will be a problem" - Fans beyond hyped for Japanese superstar Yuki Yoza's signing with ONE Championship

Modified Apr 22, 2025 16:51 GMT

ONE Championship has bolstered its star-studded roster of elite strikers with the signing of Japanese sensation Yuki Yoza.

The world's largest martial arts organization made the blockbuster announcement on Tuesday, April 22, generating significant buzz among combat sports fans on social media.

Check out the promotion's post on Instagram below:

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The promotion posted:

"BLOCKBUSTER signing 📝 Former K-1 Champion Yuki Yoza joins ONE's stacked bantamweight striking divisions riding a 10-fight win streak! Who should the Japanese superstar face in his debut? 🥊 @yozayuki_1"

The fanfare surrounding Yoza's arrival can already be felt in the comment section of the embedded Instagram post above:

The former K-1 lightweight world champion arrives in ONE with serious momentum, riding a remarkable 10-fight winning streak.

His blue-chip recruitment comes just three days after he declared free agency, marking a swift and strategic career move. The 27-year-old's departure from K-1 was anything but quiet — he vacated his belt amid frustrations over a lack of fight opportunities, signaling his intent for new challenges.

Yuki Yoza faces stiff competition in ONE Championship

This leap was a long time coming as Yuki Yoza went on record several times, expressing interest in testing himself against ONE Championship's best strikers.

Now, he will get to showcase his dynamic Karate-centric style under the promotion's banner, which has a talent-rich bantamweight kickboxing bracket — home to notable names like reigning world titleholder Jonathan Haggerty and Chinese dynamo Wei Rui, as well as former divisional kingpins Petchtanong Petchfergus and Hiroki Akimoto.

Another fighter Yoza could face in his ONE Championship debut is Ilias Ennahachi, the former ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion who now competes at the 145-pound division.

The 5-foot-7 Yoza is a crafty fighter from the stacked stable, Team Vasileus, in Tokyo.

Team Vasileus is the home gym of ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world champion Masaaki Noiri and three-division K-1 Kickboxing champion Takeru Segawa.

There are no official announcements when or where Yoza will debut, or who his opponent will be, but it's safe to expect that the Japanese star will bring his patented brand of excitement to the global stage.

About the author

A sports journalist with over 10 years of experience, Nissi Icasiano has previously contributed to well-known platforms such as Rappler, Tiebreaker Times, International Business Times, ABS-CBN News, and currently, Sportskeeda. With a background in Legal Management, his attention to detail and thorough research shape his journalistic style.

Nissi specializes in MMA, particularly ONE Championship, and his love for the sport is evident in his in-depth coverage of its athletes and events. He has reported on major milestone events, including Demetrious Johnson’s final fight at ONE Championship's first U.S. event.

Nissi's hands-on experience in the sport of boxing enhances his understanding of combat sports. His dedication towards delivering informative and compelling content makes him a reliable source for MMA fans.

In his spare time, Nissi takes joy in spending time with his young daughter.

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Edited by Harvey Leonard