Hyu Eyes Di Bella After ONE SAMURAI 3 Return

Hyu Iwata views Saturday's flyweight kickboxing bout at ONE SAMURAI 3 as the opening move in a climb back toward title contention and his stated goal of leading Japan's next generation of ONE Championship talent.

The 23-year-old karate black belt meets RISE featherweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">Super Featherweight Champion Hyuma Hitachi at Yokohama Buntai in Yokohama, Japan, looking to bounce back from his first professional loss — a decision defeat to Taiki Naito at ONE SAMURAI 1 in April. Hyu carried a 5-1 promotional record into that fight before the setback, which he blamed on a composure breakdown rather than his opponent's tactics.

Hyu's Path Back Toward Flyweight Title Picture

"I'm frustrated with the version of myself that couldn't stay composed through the end of the fight," Hyu told BJPenn.com. "Now I have a strong desire to come back and prove something."

Beating Hitachi, a 28-year-old RISE titleholder making his ONE debut, is only the immediate objective. Hyu has already mapped out the bigger names he wants to face on his way back up the flyweight kickboxing ladder, including a rematch with Naito and a potential showdown with strawweight champion Jonathan Di Bella. Both represent statement opportunities that could push him back into championship conversations.

The karate product, who switched to kickboxing at 19, said the rapid expansion of ONE SAMURAI has created regular chances for Japanese fighters to compete domestically — a shift he did not anticipate when he first signed with the promotion. He now sees himself as part of the generation expected to anchor the series moving forward.

ONE SAMURAI 3 airs Saturday from Yokohama with Hyu facing Hitachi on the card.

Reported via:

• BJPenn — Hyu sees ONE SAMURAI 3 comeback as step toward leading Japan’s next generation