Yuki Yoza was "in the zone" against tough Superlek at ONE 173: “I had prepared different countermeasures”

Former K-1 Champion Yuki Yoza of Japan was in the zone at ONE 173 when he defeated the mighty Superlek Kiatmoo9 via unanimous decision on Nov. 16.

The 27-year-old dominated the pound-for-pound great in front of his hometown fans at Ariake Arena, outstriking the Thai legend and proving he is the next title contender at 145 pounds.

While Yoza prepared his body for this pivotal match-up, he also made sure to have specific game plans to neutralize ‘The Kicking Machine’s' dangerous weapons.

In a vlog post on his personal YouTube channel, Yoza recalled how he secured the biggest win of his career.

"I had prepared different countermeasures for Superlek's knee kicks and things like that. But it wasn't like that. I was blocking with something I'd never done before and hadn't even thought of. I was blocking with my own knee before the knee lift came. I thought I was amazing. My body was moving on its own. I see. I guess this is what they call being in the zone."

Yoza was in the ultimate flow state against the ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion, chopping his lower half with calf kicks and destroying his guard with swift punch combinations.

Watch the full vlog post:

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Yuki Yoza says Superlek's timidity threw him off guard

Yuki Yoza expected to figure in an all-out brawl against Superlek at ONE 173.

Instead, the 27-year-old was surprised that 'The Kicking Machine' was more reserved than usual and did not engage as much.

In the same vlog post, Yoza revealed why Superlek's passive style in their fight disrupted his rhythm:

"It doesn't matter. I kept pushing until I was bleeding. Superlek was more cautious than I thought and didn't come out at all, which made it difficult. I knew he wouldn't be cautious, but that made it even more creepy."