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ONE SAMURAI 3 – ONE Championship made its first appearance in Yokohama with ONE SAMURAI 3 on September 12, bringing a diverse card featuring MMA, Muay Thai and kickboxing to Yokohama Buntai.
The event was headlined by reigning ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Nadaka Yoshinari, who stepped into professional kickboxing for the first time against Myanmar’s Har Ling Om. The card also featured the return of former ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Yuya Wakamatsu, while several of Japan’s most promising fighters looked to make statements on home soil.
Nadaka Yoshinari Dominates in Kickboxing Debut
Nadaka entered the ONE SAMURAI 3 main event carrying one of the most impressive winning streaks in combat sports. The 25 year old Japanese star had won 41 consecutive bouts before stepping into the ring against Har Ling Om.
Despite moving from Muay Thai to kickboxing, Nadaka looked comfortable almost immediately. He repeatedly used his straight left to keep Har Ling Om at range while mixing in teeps and kicks to the body. Har Ling Om showed that he possessed dangerous power, landing a significant right hand during the opening round, but Nadaka remained composed and continued controlling the pace.
The second round brought a brief complication for the Japanese fighter. Nadaka was warned twice for excessive clinching, but he quickly returned to his striking game. He doubled up on his left kicks and continued landing his straight left with consistency.
Har Ling Om attempted to make the contest more physical and played to the home crowd, but Nadaka’s technical advantage became increasingly obvious. The third round was the clearest indication of Nadaka’s ability to adapt. He moved around the ring, landed punches upstairs, attacked the legs and incorporated push kicks to the face. Har Ling Om struggled to find a sustained answer as Nadaka avoided much of the incoming offense while continuing to score.
The judges ultimately awarded Nadaka a unanimous decision victory. The result at ONE SAMURAI 3 moved his all striking record to 68 and 6 and extended his overall winning streak to 42 fights. More importantly, Nadaka has now taken the first step toward his ambition of becoming a two sport champion in ONE Championship.
Yuya Wakamatsu Sends a Warning to the Flyweight Division
While Nadaka headlined the event, former ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Yuya Wakamatsu produced perhaps the most significant MMA performance of the night.
Wakamatsu faced South Africa’s Willie van Rooyen in the flyweight MMA co main event, with the Japanese veteran looking to rebuild his position in the division. He did exactly that. Wakamatsu constantly pressured Van Rooyen with his jab before closing the distance and using his physical strength in the clinch. Van Rooyen struggled to establish his wrestling game, allowing Wakamatsu to dictate where much of the fight took place.
The Japanese fighter continued finding success with his hands as the bout progressed. In the second round, Wakamatsu began putting together increasingly damaging combinations. With less than a minute remaining, a straight right buckled Van Rooyen before a left hook caused further damage and sent his mouthpiece flying.
The referee paused the action so the mouthpiece could be retrieved and the ringside doctor could examine Van Rooyen’s jaw. The fight was subsequently stopped at 4:34 of the second round, giving Wakamatsu a TKO victory.
The victory improved Wakamatsu’s record to 21 and 7 and gave him his 15th career highlight reel victory. It also puts him firmly back into the conversation for another shot at the ONE Flyweight MMA World Championship. Current champion Avazbek Kholmirzaev is the man who defeated Wakamatsu at ONE SAMURAI 1, meaning a rematch could now become a realistic possibility.
Shimon Yoshinari Knocks Out Suablack
Another major performance came from Shimon Yoshinari, who continued his unbeaten run in ONE Championship against Thai veteran Suablack Tor Pran49. Shimon used his reach intelligently in the opening round, repeatedly attacking with his teep and keeping Suablack from getting comfortable at close range.
The finish arrived in the second round. Shimon attacked the body before eventually landing a devastating left hook to the midsection. Suablack immediately collapsed and was unable to beat the referee’s count.
The stoppage came at 1:28 of round two, improving Shimon’s record to 27 and 1 with one no contest and strengthening his case for a future ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title opportunity.
Hyu Gets Back to Winning Ways
Japanese kickboxer Hyu Iwata also secured an important victory. Hyu defeated RISE Super Featherweight Champion Hyuma Hitachi by unanimous decision after three rounds. He attacked Hitachi’s legs early before combining punches and knees. Hitachi had moments with his boxing, particularly during the first two rounds, but Hyu’s volume eventually became decisive.
The Japanese fighter dominated the final round with combinations and constant pressure to earn the judges’ unanimous decision. The victory was particularly important because it came after the first defeat of Hyu’s professional career. His record now stands at 14 and 1.
Hiroba Minowa Wins a Grappling Battle
In one of the night’s MMA bouts, former Shooto Strawweight Champion Hiroba Minowa defeated Pancrase Strawweight Champion Yuta Miyazawa by unanimous decision.
Miyazawa initially found success with his punches, but Minowa gradually took control once the fight moved to the ground. The 28 year old repeatedly secured takedowns and worked from top position while hunting for a rear naked choke. Miyazawa survived several dangerous positions, but Minowa’s grappling control ultimately earned him a second consecutive ONE victory.
Seiichiro Ito Scores a Submission
Seiichiro Ito also delivered inside the cage, defeating Kazusa Kurobe by rear naked choke at 2:14 of the second round. Kurobe initially pushed Ito toward the ropes, but Ito reversed the position and took the fight to the ground. He quickly moved toward the back and eventually secured the submission.
More Results From ONE SAMURAI 3 Yokohama
The rest of the ONE SAMURAI 3 card produced several impressive finishes.
Ryuya Okuwaki survived an early knockdown before stopping Chokdee Maxjandee with a liver shot at 1:29 of the second round.
Kosei Yoshida defeated Zhao Zhengdong by unanimous decision in their flyweight kickboxing contest.
Homura Abe, despite being only 18 years old, scored a first round knockout over Tuakiao at 2:02.
The opening bout also ended in a finish, with Yuki Tanaka stopping Aiji at 1:07 of the first round after landing a powerful left hook.
ONE SAMURAI 3 Full Fight Card and Results
- Nadaka Yoshinari def. Har Ling Om — Unanimous Decision, Atomweight Kickboxing
- Yuya Wakamatsu def. Willie van Rooyen — TKO, Round 2, 4:34, Flyweight MMA
- Shimon Yoshinari def. Suablack Tor Pran49 — KO, Round 2, 1:28, Flyweight Muay Thai
- Hyu Iwata def. Hyuma Hitachi — Unanimous Decision, Flyweight Kickboxing
- Hiroba Minowa def. Yuta Miyazawa — Unanimous Decision, Strawweight MMA
- Ryuya Okuwaki def. Chokdee Maxjandee — KO, Round 2, 1:29, Atomweight Muay Thai
- Kosei Yoshida def. Zhao Zhengdong — Unanimous Decision, Flyweight Kickboxing
- Seiichiro Ito def. Kazusa Kurobe — Rear Naked Choke, Round 2, 2:14, Strawweight MMA
- Homura Abe def. Tuakiao — KO, Round 1, 2:02, Strawweight Muay Thai
- Yuki “The Blitz” Tanaka def. Aiji — TKO, Round 1, 1:07, Featherweight Kickboxing
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