Yuya Wakamatsu says striking-first approach led to Adriano Moraes TKO: “A better chance at victory”
Yuya Wakamatsu took a page out of the Cobra Kai handbook for his fight with Adriano Moraes—strike first. 'Little Piranha' delighted fight fans at ONE 172 inside the Saitama Super Arena and stunned those watching around the world when he scored a first-round knockout over the former eight-time titleholder to claim the ONE flyweight MMA world championship.
Determined to avenge his loss against Moraes at ONE X in 2022 and leave with 26 pounds of gold around his waist, Wakamatsu decided to deploy a very simple game plan against the Brazilian. In an interview with My Navi News, Wakamatsu said:
“If you were to outbox your opponent, you always stand a better chance at victory.”
It was an undeniably impressive performance that extended Wakamatsu's unbeaten streak to four. Sitting atop the ONE flyweight MMA throne, 'Little Piranha' is ready to take on anyone the promotion puts in front of him.
Yuya Wakamatsu admits his title win at ONE 172 still feels surreal
A month after the biggest win of his career, Yuya Wakamatsu is still pinching himself to see if his status as a ONE world champion is real.
"Looking at the amount of messages and texts I've been getting, I feel like I've accomplished a really big goal," Wakamatsu added. "It's starting to sink in little by little. Even now, I must say it still feels surreal."
If Wakamatsu hopes to keep that belt around his waist, he'll have to stay on his A-game as a laundry list of potential flyweight title contenders line up. Names like Danny Kingad, Reece McLaren, Hu Yong, and Sanzhar Zakirov round out a tough top five. Not to mention a potential trilogy fight with Moraes—a strong possibility considering both fighters now hold a finish over the other.
What do you think should be next for Yuya Wakamatsu?
If you missed any of the action, you can watch the full ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang replay on demand via watch.onefc.com.