Don't be afraid of change. Yu likes to innovate, and that would have been the case had Shenmue continued and III had released in 2004 on the Xbox. Embrace and enjoy the new ideas.
I love the combat in the original games, but it shouldn't be immune to tweaks/reinventions.
I can already see how something like Yu's idea for AI Battling (intelligent system to magnetise Ryo's attacks to enemies just slightly out of range) could make it much smoother and enjoyable.
Similarly, don't get spooked when he talks about simpler controls. The original Shenmue combat was made with the same mindset to make it simpler and more intuitive to control than Virtua Fighter. Simple doesn't have to mean dumbed down or basic.
For example:
https://twitter.com/SpaghettiNEOGAF/status/841792226527182848; the most complex button press in this video is -> -> B, and it still looks cool and was fun to play.
And even then it seems like there will be an added element of complexity and depth when Yu talks about splitting enemies up and using the environment/physics against them. Being resourceful with your surroundings and employing fighting tactics is a really exciting and intriguing spin on things.