ONE Championship will crown a new ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion on Sunday, March 23, at ONE 172. The matchup, pitting the two two-ranked contenders against each other, is a rematch from ONE X in 2022. Adriano Moraes and Yuya Wakamatsu will run it back one more time.
The division has been in flux since the retirement of Demetrious Johnson. After taking their spots in the win column, Moraes and Wakamatsu set themselves apart from the field. Reflecting on his first brush with gold, “Little Piranha” is preparing to finally claim the throne.
“Looking back at the ONE X event, when I fought, I was immature and I just felt overwhelmed. My mentality was such that I was confident, yet imperfect. The reason for my loss was really that I was unable to overcome myself. That’s all. That was the reason,” Wakamatsu admitted to ONE.
Wakamatsu has undoubtedly evolved as an athlete over the past three years. The Japanese star has reeled off three consecutive victories to become the #2-ranked contender in the flyweight division. Still, he believes his biggest improvement has come within the mental aspect of the game.
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“The difference between where I was three years ago and where I am now is, in other words, I have realized what it means to fight, or what’s the purpose of life. This I realized is not just being strong, but also to overcome my own weakness, as I have done every single day in the past three years. So regardless of who the opponent is, the opponent I realized is just me who cannot be bold enough, or who succumbs to his own weakness – so that’s the biggest difference from three years ago,” the flyweight hopeful said.
Wakamatsu Promises Fans a Show
The eyes of the world will be upon ONE 172, one of the biggest events in years. As a domestic star competing in front of watchful eyes, Wakamatsu wants to give fans a memory they’ll carry with them for years. And he is leaving no stone unturned in pursuit of that goal.
“This time, I’ll fight for a World Title in Japan. I would say this is the biggest challenge for me in my time with ONE. I appreciate such an opportunity. This is exactly why I am grateful for ONE. I feel like this is the chance I cannot miss, as they have set up everything for me,” Wakamatsu commented.
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“Little Piranha” feels he has all of the tools to stop the multiple-time ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion from reclaiming the gold and beginning a new era. But even if it doesn’t happen, he is promising fans an action-packed matchup. Win or lose, Wakamatsu is planning to leave every ounce of energy inside the Saitama Super Arena.
“I am very confident this time, and I believe however it ends up, this fight will be an exciting one,” the Japanese star said.
ONE 172 airs live on Sunday, March 23, at 3 a.m. ET/midnight PT. The action hails from the Saitama Super Arena in Japan. The event is available to purchase on global pay-per-view via watch.onefc.com.
