On May 31 (Saturday), Tomoya Yokoyama (Japan / Libre Roar) will face Egor Bikrev (Russia / Kuzbass Muay Thai) in the first round of the 6th K-1 WORLD GP Super Featherweight Title Tournament at “K-1 BEYOND,” held at Yokohama Buntai.

Yokoyama, on the other hand, captured the 12th Krush Super Featherweight title in February 2024 with a decision win over Naoki Takahashi. In July, he scored a KO win over Cabello Monteiro in K-1 and successfully defended his title in December, knocking out Yuta Matsuyama.

Meanwhile, Bikrev is a former IFMA Russian Lightweight (-60kg) champion who made a significant impact in ONE Championship’s elite division. Known for his devastating punching power, he made his ONE debut at ‘ONE Friday Fights 86’ in November 2024, scoring a 1st-round TKO victory over Gingsanglek Wor Kumchamnarn with a right straight. He followed this up in December at ‘ONE Friday Fights 92,’ where he knocked two-division Rajadamnern and Lumpinee champion Panpayak Jitmuangnon out, marking two consecutive knockouts in ONE.

Yokoyama recently spoke about his mindset going into the tournament.

– What was your honest impression when you saw the tournament brackets?
“To be honest, there’s a lot I want to say…”

– For example?
“Like, why is (Yuta) Matsuyama in it? Why is the former champion in the reserve fight? I definitely have some complaints.”

– You did knock Matsuyama out in the Krush title fight last December. And you probably feel the former champion, Leona Pettas, should be in the main tournament.
“Of course. I’ve been saying that all along—why is he just in the reserve fight? But now I’ve switched gears. If I win the belt, it’s all irrelevant. I just have to do what I need to do.”

– Your first-round opponent, Bikrev, is a serious threat with two straight KOs in ONE.
“Yeah, they brought in a strong one right off the bat. But I actually prefer it that way. It’s better experience than fighting someone less skilled. If I win this tournament, maybe it’ll finally prove I deserve global recognition.”

– To be frank, many were surprised you’re facing Bikrev in the first round.
“Same here. When I watched his fights, I could tell how strong he was. I thought, ‘Okay, Producer Miyata really set me up here.’ But this is what I wanted. I see it as K-1 testing me. I even said I’d be fine being the only Japanese fighter in the tournament. My only goal is to win.”

– Remi Parra, who beat Leona Pettas, is also in the tournament.
“I figured he’d be included, so it didn’t surprise me. I was actually on the same press panel with him before his fight against Hirotaka Asahisa, and we talked about fighting next.”

– If that happens, it’ll be in the finals.
“Right. But I think Chihiro Nakajima is consistently strong too, so I expect him to reach the semifinals. I think it’ll come down to Parra vs. Nakajima there.”

– Matsuyama will face Parra in the first round. He’s probably hoping to earn a shot at revenge against you.
“I’m not particularly focused on Matsuyama. But if he makes it through, I’ll crush him again.”

– That’s great!
“But it’s a grueling tournament. Anyone could make it through.”

– What do you think of Leona Pettas forming the Rebellion faction?
“I don’t care either way. If it helps generate excitement, then sure, go ahead.”

– That’s more understanding than expected. You seemed pretty irritated before.
“I mean, yeah, it does annoy me. Like, if he was going to fight, why vacate the belt? I had been pushing to fight him, and it almost happened, but it didn’t. Still, it’s a waste of time thinking about him. I’d rather use that time to train and get stronger. In the end, I want to become the kind of fighter everyone wants to face.”

– The RibelLion members have been interacting with Breaking Down fighters on social media.
“Let me say this clearly—if we fight under K-1 rules, we’re not going to lose. Not a chance. If they’re doing this to promote K-1, then fine. But if it’s just for their own clout, then as a former champion, they’re just lowering their own value. It looks like they’re desperate to carve out a space for themselves. It’s a shame—they’re strong fighters, but it’s a waste of potential.”

– What kind of champion do you want to become?
“Like Takeru—a champion who proves himself with results. Right now, it feels like there’s too much trash talk going around in K-1.”

– You mean the trash talk on social media?
“Exactly. In other popular promotions, you don’t really see top fighters complaining that much. I think it’s also a communication issue between the fighters and management. I’d like to see that improved. I watch fights from other promotions too, but K-1 and Krush are still the most exciting. I believe it’s the collaboration between fighters and the organization that brings people to the venue.”

– If Rebellion is the heel faction, then you seem like the archetypal K-1 fighter.
“Honestly, I really don’t care about RibelLion. They can do whatever they want. I don’t have the time to get into back-and-forths with them. I believe a true fighter is someone who can inspire every fan with their performance. That’s what K-1 has always been about—and I want to bring back the passion of the old days. I’m going to win this tournament and bring back that fire to K-1.”