"I'm looking for more challenges" - Jonathan Di Bella eyes new Japanese contingent in ONE Championship

Jonathan Di Bella is keeping a close watch on the fresh talent entering ONE Championship's striking ranks, particularly from Japan.

The newly crowned undisputed ONE strawweight kickboxing world champion unified the titles with a unanimous decision victory over Prajanchai PK Saenchai at ONE Fight Night 36 last Friday, October 3, in Bangkok, Thailand.

Speaking to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the 29-year-old Canadian-Italian striker expressed his interest in facing the wave of Japanese fighters recently signed by the world's largest martial arts organization.

During his interview with senior combat sports analyst, Jonathan Di Bella said:

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"I've seen a lot of Japanese fighters coming along, signing with ONE. I'm very interested in seeing how they come to ONE Championship and perform."

He further continued:

"I'm excited to see the new up-and-coming fighters, and I'm looking for more challenges. So I'm excited."

ONE Championship has significantly expanded its Japanese roster in recent months, bringing in elite talent from organizations like K-1 and RISE to bolster its already stacked striking divisions.

The Team Di Bella Kickboxing star's openness to new challenges came before he began his reign as undisputed champion.

Now, after avenging the only loss of his professional career against Prajanchai, Di Bella improved his record to 15-1 and positioned himself as the strawweight kickboxing division's premier attraction.

With his technical prowess and championship pedigree now established, facing fresh opponents from Japan's rich, striking tradition could provide the compelling matchups Di Bella seeks as he looks to continue leaving a mark on the global stage of ONE.

Watch Jonathan Di Bella's full interview with SCMP here:

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Jonathan Di Bella rates his redemption win over Prajanchai at ONE Fight Night 36

While Jonathan Di Bella's performance in the headline attraction of the promotion's latest American primetime spectacle was near-flawless in the eyes of many, the Canadian-Italian sees plenty of room for improvement.

During the event's post-fight press conference, the Montreal native admitted "perfect performances" don't exist, and he promised to use this victory as a learning lesson to improve his world-class striking arsenal.

While addressing the media in attendance, the humble champion said:

"I rate my performance maybe an 8-7.5. I could've done a bit better."

He further added:

"There's always room for improvement, you know? We're going to go back and see my mistakes. You always have to get better in every fight; you have to get better. There's never a perfect performance."

The full ONE Fight Night 36: Prajanchai vs. Di Bella II replay is available for free on Amazon Prime Video to fight fans in the United States and Canada.

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Edited by Himakshu Vyas