Reigning ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Yuya Wakamatsu discusses his title defense strategy against reigning ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Joshua Pacio in the co-main event of ONE 173 on 16 November
in Tokyo, Japan.
The 30-year-old Japanese warrior looks to end a perfect year by defending his title against another divisional kingpin. Meanwhile, the 29-year-old Filipino from Lions Nation MMA wants to capture flyweight gold and become the promotion's next two-division ruler.
Wakamatsu has studied Pacio's approach and believes their fighting styles will create an exciting matchup. The flyweight great operates as a counter-fighter who applies pressure with smart movement in and out of range, creating opportunities for devastating strikes.
"I'm basically a counter-fighter. My own style is to apply pressure, stepping in and then stepping back out. So when I compare our styles, I think they match up well," Wakamatsu explained.
"I want to show my stand-up game. It's really a kill-or-be-killed feeling. I want to come out on top and catch my opponent clean. Either knock him unconscious or drop him, then finish with ground-and-pound until the referee steps in. That's the ideal finish for me. "
Wakamatsu has enjoyed a fairytale start to 2025, claiming the vacant ONE Flyweight MMA World Championship by knocking out the most dominant flyweight in ONE history, Adriano Moraes, in front of his Japanese compatriots this past March at ONE 172.
He envisions a spectacular finish where he catches Pacio with a clean strike, drops the Filipino challenger, and finishes with ground-and-pound. This approach showcases Wakamatsu's confidence in his striking abilities against an elite opponent.
"He's a dangerous striker and a true all-rounder. He controls the fight really well. And he has knockout power in every strike. Knees, punches, and kicks are all dangerous. He can finish with one shot. Overall, he's a very dangerous opponent," Wakamatsu said.
ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri features five highly anticipated ONE World Title bouts along with several high-octane non-title clashes. Fans in India can catch all the action live on pay-per-view at live.onefc.com.
