ONE 173: Ayaka Miura confident she and Yuya Wakamatsu will take gold by the end of ONE 173: “Both of us will leave with belts”

Top ONE Championship women’s atomweight contender ‘Zombie’ Ayaka Miura of Japan believes she and Tribe Tokyo teammate ‘Little Piranha’ Yuya Wakamatsu will both have world championship gold at the end of the upcoming ONE 173 later this year.

Both Miura and Wakamatsu are scheduled to see action at November’s blockbuster offering and will have an opportunity to take home the gold for their gym.

In a recent interview, ‘Zombie’ told the world’s largest martial arts organization:

"Before my last fight against Otalora, Yuya told me, 'Let's do this together.' He's one of the top-level fighters at TRIBE, and a huge emotional support for me. He told me, 'Win this fight, and let's go for the title together in November.' Having him around has really boosted my motivation. I'm determined that both of us will leave with belts in November."

Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more

Ayaka Miura is finally getting her second crack at gold when she challenges reigning and undisputed ONE women’s atomweight MMA world champion ‘The Menace’ Denice Zamboanga of the Philippines.

The two go to war at the upcoming ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri, which will broadcast live from the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan on Sunday, Nov. 16.

Fans in the United States and Canada can visit ONE Championship's official website for more information on how to watch from their location or head on over to watch.onefc.com.

Ayaka Miura was inspired by Yuya Wakamatsu’s world title win over Adriano Moraes: “It moved me”

‘Zombie’ Ayaka Miura is fired up for her world title opportunity against Denice Zamboanga at ONE 173 later this year, and admits she was inspired by Yuya Wakamatsu’s own history-making feat at ONE 172 a few months ago.

Miura told ONE:

“At the last Japan event, Yuya’s win over Moraes really lit up the arena and left a strong impression. It moved me watching it. I hope this time, even fans who usually watch kickboxing can discover the appeal of MMA. Yuya shines with his striking, and I aim to finish on the ground. Hopefully fans can enjoy both styles.”

Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding Ayaka Miura’s next fight.

About the author

Dan is an MMA writer with 10+ years of overall experience. Before his ongoing tenure at Sportskeeda, Dan got the opportunity to be at the forefront of the sport by contributing to ONE Championship and Fight Game Asia. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology.

Dan’s connection to MMA started during the early days of the UFC and ONE Championship. He previously practiced boxing and ranks Demetrious Johnson, Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, Jon Jones, and Fedor Emelianenko as the top five MMA fighters of all time.

He has covered several events onsite and on the ground for ONE Championship and hopes to continue doing so. He ensures that he churns out accurate articles by citing only legitimate sources and getting firsthand accounts through exclusive interviews whenever required.

Dan feels MMA fighter pay seems like an issue because it often gets compared to what fighters earn in boxing but that MMA will eventually catch up in the future.

His other interests include soccer and video games.

Know More

Follow One Championship News, Schedule & Results at Sportskeeda.

Edited by Aziel Karthak