ONE Championship has crowned Yuya Wakamatsu as the 2025 MMA Fighter of the Year following his perfect two-fight campaign that saw the Japanese champion capture and successfully defend the ONE Flyweight MMA World Title with spectacular finishes in front of his home crowd.
The 30-year-old authored one of the year's most compelling championship stories, claiming the vacant flyweight throne in March before defending it against a fellow World Champion in November. Both victories came via TKO with US$50,000 performance bonuses attached.
Wakamatsu entered 2025 riding a three-fight winning streak and earned his opportunity to face former ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Adriano Moraes for the vacant title at ONE 172 in March. The stakes couldn't have
been higher.
The Japanese challenger delivered a career-defining performance by stopping the legendary Brazilian via first-round TKO to claim championship gold. The victory held special significance as Wakamatsu avenged his 2022 loss to Moraes while defeating the first man to knock out MMA legend Demetrious Johnson.
In November, Wakamatsu returned to defend his crown in front of passionate Japanese fans at ONE 173. His opponent, reigning ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Joshua Pacio, moved up seeking two-division glory while the flyweight king aimed to solidify his championship reign.
The Filipino challenger struck with dangerous early attacks that tested Wakamatsu's defense. However, the Japanese champion weathered the storm and came back stronger, demonstrating the heart and determination that defines championship fighters.
In the second round, Wakamatsu capitalized on ONE Championship's global MMA ruleset that allows knees to grounded opponents. Several devastating grounded knees sealed his TKO victory, successfully defending his title and earning another US$50,000 performance bonus.
The dual US$50,000 performance bonuses made Wakamatsu's championship year even more special. His spectacular finishes captivated fans and demonstrated why he deserves recognition as the promotion's best mixed martial artist of 2025.
