‘Show The Gap’ – Hyu Looks To Prove His Superiority Over Taiki Naito At ONE SAMURAI 1

An explosive all-Japanese flyweight kickboxing showdown is set to electrify the Ariake Arena when undefeated phenom ”Mister Pepper” Hyu Iwata steps into the ONE Championship ring against decorated veteran Taiki “Silent Sniper” Naito . The high-stakes battle will take center stage at ONE SAMURAI 1 , which broadcasts live from Tokyo, Japan, on Wednesday, April 29. View this post on Instagram With both strikers looking to climb the divisional ladder and break into the ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Title conversation, the pressure surrounding this battle between home favorites remains intense.

For the Osaka native, this matchup represents more than just another step toward the ultimate prize. It offers an opportunity to silence any remaining doubters and cement his status as the most dangerous new arrival in the weight class. In fact, fans have actively clamored for this exact pairing since Hyu first stepped onto the global stage in September 2024.

View this post on Instagram Bringing a flawless 13-0 record into the contest, the karate specialist has built a reputation as an exciting finisher. His resume already features a dominant victory over Kanta Motoyama – one of Naito’s former teammates – which naturally laid the groundwork for this budding rivalry. Hyu understands exactly why Japanese fans demanded this battle, and he recognizes the caliber of the opponent standing across the ring.

He explained: “When the possibility of fighting him came up, there was a lot of fan noise about wanting to see that fight. And even from when I first came to ONE, I started hearing voices saying they wanted to see me against Naito. “Naito is the one who stands out the most among Japanese fighters.