“I sharpen my sword and wait” - Yuya Wakamatsu counts down the days ahead of his shot at redemption against Adriano Moraes
Yuya Wakamatsu is waiting patiently for his shot at redemption against Adriano Moraes in Japan.
The Japanese standout will take on Moraes for the second time in his bid for the vacant ONE flyweight MMA world title at the stacked ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang card on March 23 at the historic Saitama Super Arena.
Taking to Instagram, Wakamatsu said he's getting geared up for possibly the biggest fight of his career in front of his home fans in one of the most fabled stadiums in combat sports history.
Yuya Wakamatsu posted:
"23 days until the final battle ⚔️ I sharpen my sword and wait."
Wakamatsu is on his second shot at the ONE flyweight MMA world title after he fell short in his first against then-holder Adriano Moraes at ONE Championship's 10th-anniversary show ONE X in March 2022.
'Little Piranha' was on the best run of his ONE Championship tenure when he challenged Moraes for the gold in Singapore. His five-fight winning streak, however, was tragically stopped when he fell via third-round submission to the Brazilian star.
After falling short in his next fight against Woo Sung Hoon, Wakamatsu bounced back in the best possible way with three straight wins heading into ONE 172.
Wakamatsu showed off his refined game and knocked off Xie Wei, Danny Kingad, and Gilbert Nakatani.
If Wakamatsu claims the vacant throne at ONE 172, he'll be the sixth Japanese fighter to capture ONE Championship gold.
ONE 172 is available live on pay-per-view at watch.onefc.com.
Yuya Wakamatsu plans to put on his best-ever showing at ONE 172
Yuya Wakamatsu is determined to unleash his best form against Adriano Moraes in front of his hometown fans at ONE 172.
During the card's press conference in Tokyo, Wakamatsu said ONE 172 will be a crucial juncture in his career.
Wakamatsu said:
"I will be performing in front of the other athletes in the co-main event, and it is truly an honor. I have put my whole life into martial arts, so much so that I am willing to give it my all. So yes, I want to make this the best match ever, please look forward to it."