ONE 173: Yuya Wakamatsu prepared to pour every little thing he has into first world title protection in opposition to Joshua Pacio: “That’s enough for me”

Japanese knockout artist Yuya Wakamatsu bared his heart and soul to finally realize his dream of becoming the ONE flyweight MMA world champion. His next challenger, Joshua Pacio of the Philippines, threatens to take away everything he has built in the blockbuster ONE 173 on Nov. 16 at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena.

‘Little Piranha’ is hell-bent on making sure the 26 pounds of gold stays in Japan, and he refuses to let his hometown fans down.

The Tribe Tokyo MMA representative shared in his ONE Championship pre-event interview:

“I want to inspire fans with courage and hope. I want to put my entire way of life into those 25 minutes.”

The 30-year-old warrior continued:

“If people see me giving everything in the fight and think, ‘Wow, that’s amazing. I want to try too. I can do it too,’ then honestly, that’s enough for me.”

Facing the ONE strawweight MMA kingpin in his first world title defense, Wakamatsu knows he cannot afford any lapses in this champion vs. champion showdown.

Apart from personal gains, the Japanese fighter is driven by his role as a source of inspiration for those who believe in him and takes this responsibility with unwavering determination.

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Yuya Wakamatsu not underestimating Joshua Pacio’s finishing instincts

Yuya Wakamatsu is notorious for taking away his opponents’ consciousness with sheer destructive power.

While ‘Little Piranha’ will once again unleash his full arsenal at ONE 173, he’s also preparing for Joshua Pacio’s own finishing capabilities.

‘The Passion’ is a well-rounded fighter who can end fights in standing and on the ground, something that Wakamatsu is paying close attention to.

The reigning ONE flyweight MMA world champion said in a YouTube vlog post:

“I have to be careful of his one-hit shots, his kicks, knees, spinning moves, and those kinds of moves because they have a lot of power and killer power.”