Lito Adiwang MMA: "It will be great for the fans" - Filipino spitfire Lito Adiwang eyes title barnburner against flyweight MMA king Yuya Wakamatsu

Lito Adiwang hopes to join fellow Filipino MMA stars, ONE strawweight MMA world champion Joshua Pacio and undisputed ONE women's atomweight MMA world champion Denice Zamboanga, in the upper echelons of ONE Championship by taking the ONE flyweight MMA world championship from the reigning Yuya Wakamatsu.

'Thunder Kid' staked his claim for a world title tilt with 'Little Piranha' in an interview with ONE, saying:

"I said he's on the top of my list because I expect it to be a good fight. He's a striker, he's a knockout artist and I think it will be great for the fans because for sure one of us is going to sleep."

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

The Filipino slugger has been competing in the world's largest martial arts promotion since February 2019, and fans have grown to love his high-energy style, which has earned him five finishes in nine victories.

Adiwang appeared to be on the cusp of fighting for a ONE MMA world championship, but he suffered a horrific knee injury during his bout with compatriot Jeremy Miado at ONE X in March 2022.

After about 18 months of recovery, the Soma Fight Club representative posted a 23-second TKO of Adrian Mattheis in September 2023. This kickstarted a three-fight winning streak, which sadly ended at the hands of Keito Yamakita this past February.

Lito Adiwang reflects on what he needs to work on following Keito Yamakita defeat

Lito Adiwang views his defeats as opportunities to improve, and he is taking the same approach after losing to Keito Yamakita.

He said in a separate interview with ONE:

"Looking at the fight proper, I can admit that I was outworked on the ground. I guess I have to go back on more drills when it comes to my grappling. I have to stay composed and relaxed, I have to find a way to save strength while escaping."

About the author

Karl has been an MMA writer at Sportskeeda since 2023. He holds a Bachelor of Arts major in history, which helps him pay attention to the finer details while writing, and also has first-hand experience in boxing. He has a total experience of 5 years, and has worked for the International Business Times.

Karl turned into an MMA fan back in 2011 after watching Tito Ortiz defeat Ryan Bader via first-round submission at UFC 132. He has interviewed ONE world champions like Eduard Folayang, Joshua Pacio, Stamp Fairtex, and Tawanchai in his career so far.

On the non-MMA side of things, he interviewed WWE superstar Matt Riddle in 2021 and his question about Roman Reigns elicited an interesting answer which was widely covered by outlets like Sportskeeda and Cultaholic Wrestling's YouTube channel. He has also interviewed NBA stars Dwight Howard, Nick Young, Andre Roberson, Shabazz Muhammad, Jason Williams and Brian Scalabrine plus Filipino women's volleyball star Alyssa Valdez.

Karl ensures to double-check facts before using them in articles, and reads up on potential topics for pieces a day before. In his off time, he likes to play video games, and keep up with basketball and pro wrestling.

Know More

Follow One Championship News, Schedule & Results at Sportskeeda.

Edited by Tejas Rathi